10 Best Sports Documentaries of the Past Year

Expectations are high for ESPN's upcoming 30 for 30 documentary, O.J.: Made in America, set to premiere in June. Donnovan Bennett of Sportsnet went as far as to suggest it "may be the best sports documentary ever." 

Man, there are a lot of great sports documentaries—Senna, Murderball and Hoop Dreams, just to name a few. But what about recently?

Even in the past year alone, there have been more than a few sports docs worthy of recognition. U.S. diving legend Greg Louganis and NBA greats Allen Iverson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar all got the documentary treatment, much to the benefit of sports and film buffs alike. 

Of course, the watchability and overall quality of a sports documentary are largely subjective. Luckily, these 10 pieces have been vouched for by some outside party, either through reviews, awards or Rotten Tomatoes ratings. 

Housekeeping: "In the past year" means May 2015 or later (which unfortunately excludes such gems as I Hate Christian Laettner and Kobe Bryant's Muse). And since the world of film debuts is complicated (e.g. Iverson debuted at a film festival in 2014 but didn't air on television until May 2015), the relevant release dates here are the point at which each film became available for widespread viewing.

For real, check these out if you've got the time. 

'Kareem: Minority of One'

Released: First aired on HBO in November 2015

Directed by: Gotham Chopra

Kareem: Minority of One tells the story of one of the great NBA centers, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Born as Lew Alcindor, Jabbar won three NCAA championships at UCLA and went on to claim six titles (five with the Los Angeles Lakers and one with the Milwaukee Bucks). The documentary goes beyond sports, however. Jabbar's conversion to Islam, social activism and often guarded personality are also covered.

Brian Lowry of Variety called it "a documentary that stands nearly as tall as its subject." The film was also nominated for an NAACP Image Award for outstanding television documentary.

Verne Gay of Newsday wrote only sports fans would like it—which is, frankly, probably what you are if you're reading this. So, enjoy.

'The '85 Bears'

Uncredited/Associated Press

Released: First aired on ESPN in February

Directed by: Jason Hehir

In some ways, it seems as though it was only a matter of time before the 1985 Chicago Bears got the 30 for 30 treatment. The two-hour episode, The '85 Bears, is narrated by Illinois native Vince Vaughn and chronicles the iconic Super Bowl championship team with its punishing defense and "Super Bowl Shuffle" swag. But the documentary provides emotional material as well. 

Ed Sherman of the Chicago Tribune wrote, "Some of the territory surely will be familiar to fans who have heard the stories many times. … Hehir, though, stressed that the majority of the national audience doesn't know the intimate details about the iconic team. Even for the fans that do, he hopes, they 'still can learn something new.'"

Like many of the 30 for 30 docs, this guy is on Netflix.

'Winning: The Racing Life of Paul Newman'

Released: May 2015

Directed by: Adam Carolla and Nate Adams

Paul Newman was an Oscar-winning actor as well as an accomplished race car driver and team owner.

Winning: The Racing Life of Paul Newman chronicles the actor's three-plus decades of racing endeavors. Sprinkled with appearances from Mario Andretti and others from the real-life racing scene, the film captures Newman's passion for the sport, a passion so great, even acting came in second.  

Mark Vaughn of Autoweek wrote:

"

Racers will get a kick out of it, recognizing tracks and drivers they've known for years. Newman fans will like it, too, as it sheds light on an aspect of their hero's long, full life that they may not have seen before. And it is so well done that non-racers and non-Newman fans will even like it as it tells a story of a life well-lived to which most of us can only aspire.

"

Winning has a 90 percent critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 94 percent audience rating. It's available on several platforms including Amazon and iTunes.

'Team Foxcatcher'

Released: Screened at the Tribeca Film Festival in April, streaming on Netflix

Directed by: Jon Greenhalgh

There have been several films made about the true story of Olympic wrestlers Dave and Mark Schultz and their sponsor, John du Pont, who was convicted of murdering Dave in the late 1990s. The 2014 feature film Foxcatcher and ESPN documentary The Prince of Pennsylvania were both excellent.

And though it might be overkill to see all three, the Netflix original documentary Team Foxcatcher is a great option as well. Mark Schultz does not appear in this version, but still, several reviewers commented on the film's depth. 

David Alm of Forbes wrote the documentary "focuses primarily on du Pont's relationships with his athletes, especially Dave."

Neil Genzlinger of the New York Times wrote Team Foxcatcher "digs deeper" than its ESPN counterpart.

'The Great Alone'

Released: Debuted in April 2015 at the Independent Film Festival Boston, premiered in 36 U.S. theaters in February 2016

Directed by: Greg Kohs

The Great Alone tells the story of Lance Mackey, a four-time winner of the iconic Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Sled dog racing is the family business for the Mackeys—Lance's father Dick and brother Rick also won the race (in 1978 and 1983 respectively).  

The film follows Lance throughout his 2013 race, and John DeFore of the Hollywood Reporter wrote, "Here, we feel the arctic isolation, with the camera paying enough attention to Mackey's feet that we feel their frozen pain."

The Great Alone has won several awards, including the Grand Jury documentary award from the Seattle International Film Festival and Best Sports Documentary at the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival.

'The Gospel According to Mac'

Ray Fairall/Associated Press

Released: First aired on ESPN in November

Directed by: Jim Podhoretz

The Gospel According to Mac, an ESPN 30 for 30 documentary, tells the story of former Colorado football coach and founder of Christian ministry Promise Keepers Bill McCartney. The episode chronicles everything from Colorado's 1990 national championship to its coach's Evangelical Christian beliefs and personal struggles of several players.

The documentary is far more interesting than it sounds, but sports fans might also enjoy it for no other reason than for the little-known subject matter.

Ben Koo of Awful Announcing wrote, "…The Gospel According to Mac is to me one of the best kind of 30 for 30's in that it's a very compelling story that's told well, but more importantly a story that was totally new to me."

'Iverson'

Released: Debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2014, aired on Showtime in May 2015

Directed by: Zatella Beatty

Iverson is just what it sounds like, the story of NBA legend Allen Iverson, one of the most polarizing figures in basketball history. The film addresses Iverson's childhood, his stint in prison as a teenager, controversial image in the NBA and more.

Brian Lowry of Variety suggested the documentary might lean a bit toward a pro-Iverson bias but also wrote, "As a cultural document with ramifications beyond its star, Iverson is certainly worthwhile."

Check it out on Netflix.

Shoutout to Kobe Bryant's Muse, which debuted on Showtime in February 2015, just out of the year cutoff range, and is also stellar.

'Back on Board: Greg Louganis'

Released: Screened at several film festivals in 2014, first aired on television on HBO in August 2015

Directed by: Cheryl Furjanic

Back on Board: Greg Louganis tells the story of its titular character, a four-time Olympic champion diver who competed in the 1976, 1984 and 1988 Summer Games. Louganis' life story extends far beyond diving competitions, however. His documentary tells the deeply personal tale of his HIV diagnosis, journey as a gay man and struggles with money.

Louganis told Nick Zaccardi NBC Sports, "It was important to show that, hey, even if you're an Olympic gold medalist, we're all going through this. When you feel that you're not alone, then it's really empowering."

Back on Board has an 89 percent critics' rating on Rotten Tomatoes and was nominated for a Sports Emmy Award.

'The Resurrection of Jake the Snake'

NSFW language in video 

Released: Debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2015, was released theatrically by the Slamdance Film Festival in September 

Directed by: Steve Yu

Jake "The Snake" Roberts is a semi-retired professional wrestler. He has struggled with alcohol abuse and personal issues, some of which were portrayed in the legendary wrestling documentary Beyond the Mat in 1999.

The Resurrection of Jake The Snake depicts Roberts' challenges as well as his journey toward redemption, helped along by his former protege and a newfound yoga practice.

Ian Williams of Vice Sports wrote, "Where Beyond the Mat pulled back the curtain on pro wrestling, The Resurrection of Jake the Snake shows us pro wrestlers in a similarly unfiltered and unstinting light. It's not pretty, or simple, but then of course it isn't."

The film has a 90 percent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and in November, Alfred Konuwa of Forbes said it was "worthy of Oscar consideration."

'Meru'

Released: Debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2015, U.S. theatrical release was in August

Directed by: Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi

Meru follows three elite climbers in their quest to summit the 20,000-foot Himalayan peak of Mount Meru, a feat deemed nearly impossible in the climbing world.

Jeannette Catsoulis of the New York Times wrote, "Blindingly beautiful and meticulously assembled by the award-winning editor Bob Eisenhardt, Meru easily makes you forget that what you are watching is completely bananas."

Tom Long of the Detroit News added, "It's inspirational and often thrilling stuff, beautifully shot and edited, but again questions linger: Are these guys nuts?"

Sounds like something worth seeing.

Meru has an 89 percent critics' rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 92 percent audience score. It also won the U.S. Audience Documentary Award at Sundance.