Hardwood Dreams: Vols. 1 & 2, narrated by Wesley Snipes.

Hardwood Dreams: Vols. 1 & 2, narrated by Wesley Snipes * Urban Works Entertainment and Tollin/Robbins Productions, $19.99.

Last month's release of the home DVD of Hardwood Dreams brought back memories of watching the original near a decade and a half ago. It follows the lives of the basketball team at Morningside HS in Inglewood, CA, which produced some of the hoop world's most solid citizens, including Lisa Leslie, Byron Scott, and Elden Campbell, among others. The DVD includes both the 1993 Fox TV film and a follow-up with the original "stars" in 2003 (Hardwood Dreams II). It was then--and remains today--an important film for all parents, teens, and aspiring athletes.

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We asked producer Mike Tollin, who also brought Coach Carter, Radio, and Hardball to the screen, for the motivation behind this excellent film.

COACH: Why did you choose this particular group?

TOLLIN: When Brian Robbins and I set out to make the film in 1992, we looked for a school with a history of strong athletic achievement and subpar academic performance. Our intent was to examine the lives of aspiring basketball players, all of whom dreamed of being the next Michael Jordan, often without a realistic perspective and at the expense of academic commitment. Morningside was the defending California State Basketball champion and all five starters from the championship team were returning for their senior year. They seemed to be a shoo-in to repeat, but Principal Liza Daniels acknowledged that she had grave academic concerns about many of the players. Superintendent George McKenna welcomed our cameras into the community and saw the film as a potential learning experience and an opportunity to spark a dialogue about the imbalance between academics and athletics in our inner-city schools.

COACH: How did the athletes react to being part of this film?

TOLLIN: The film focused on Stais Boseman, Donminic Ellison, Sean Harris, Dwight Curry, and Corey Saffold, the five starters. After over-coming their initial reluctance, we found all of them to be willing participants and eager to make a good impression. They opened up their homes to us and got used to us hanging around the schoolyard and practices on a daily basis. By the end of the shoot, they were all extremely honest and open with us, which made it relatively easy and comfortable to go back and film them ten years later.

COACH: Why did you decide to go back and do Hardwood Dreams II: Ten Years Later?

TOLLIN: We felt like the story was incomplete and felt like a follow-up would make a fascinating portrait. We weren't disappointed. Each of the five had come to terms with the reality that the NBA wasn't in their future and that they needed to move on. The dream died hard for most of them, and they're still in the process of shaping their personal and professional lives. We intend to go back in 2012, when they're 38, for additional perspective.

COACH: Did the making of Hardwood Dreams give you any special sense of satisfaction?

TOLLIN: We feel like the message is every bit as relevant today as it was more than a decade ago. While parents and coaches should certainly nurture the dreams of their aspiring athletes, it's important to make sure these kids have a realistic perspective on their chances, and as Digger Phelps has said, "always have a backup."

--B.W.