Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images,
Legendary baller Chris Paul and legendary artist RZA made a film about 90’s Canadian streetball.
Chris Paul (Phoenix Suns guard) and RZA (head of the legendary group The Wu-Tang Clan) are executive producers of a documentary that will be making its US debut on October 27 called “Handle with Care.”
Paul, of course, is the future Hall of Fame point guard who currently plays for the Phoenix Suns. In addition, Paul started his own production company called Ohh Dipp!!! That has produced several projects, including “The day sports stood still,” “Blackballed,” and “The Game Changers.”
Rza was the leader of the Wu-Tang Clan but is also an actor, director, writer, and executive producer. Rza directed and acted in his first film, the 2012 movie called The Man with the Iron Fists.
“Handle with Care” covers the rise of The Notic, an underground basketball collective that primarily consisted of first-generation Canadians and immigrants within the suburbs of Vancouver.
The streetball culture inspired the team, but the racially diverse squad faced racism from the community and pushback on their style of play from basketball coaches who thought they didn’t fit the rigid basketball structure they taught. The team first gained national attention while playing in an NBA-sponsored outdoor tournament in 2001.
The documentary is told through old VHS tapes that were first produced and distributed by members of The Notic over 20 years ago. The team comes together to discuss everything they went through during their time as one of the unique basketball teams of the early 2000s.
Paul told Deadline about the project:
Basketball is the backdrop of this documentary, but the real story is how brotherhood can be created on the court and transform into a lifelong bond off the court.
RZA also commented on the upcoming documentary.
“The untold story of these Canadian ballplayers, who were inspired by American streetball and became an inspiration to others, shows the power of persistence and dedication to a craft. Watching this group of young men from different backgrounds come together for a common cause to compete and achieve success is a story that resonates with me. How we handle ourselves and how we’re handled by others in our goals determines the outcome. So handle with care.”
As you see from RZA’s comments, the streetball era that took over the world in the 90s greatly influenced this group of teens from Canada. And 1 mania swept the United States in the 90s and early 2000s. It started as a clothing company selling t-shirts and devolved into mix tapes of some of the best street ball players in the world. Their influence reached all corners of the world and seemed to be the foundation of this upcoming documentary.
The film won the True North Audience Award and the Best BC Film Award at last year’s Vancouver Film Festival and will make its US debut at the Urbanworld Film Festival, slated for Thursday, October 27.
