We discuss the ending of the 2023 Peacock film Shooting Stars, which will contain spoilers.
Shooting Stars follows the humble beginnings and rise of one of the greatest basketball players of all time, LeBron James. On a pee-wee team called the Shooting Stars with his three best friends, Lil Dru, Willie, and Sian, they managed to gain scholarships to the prestigious St. Vincent–St. Mary.
They call themselves the “fab four” and play for the controversial coach Keith Brett Dambrot, who hires Dru’s father, a father figure to LeBron, to be an assistant coach on the team.
Shooting Stars (2023) Ending Explained
Why was Lebron James suspended for his senior season?
LeBron James was suspended for his senior season at St. Vincent–St. Mary’s basketball team because he accepted a gift worth over $1,800. The gift was a vintage jersey signed by Wes Unseld, a former Hall-of-Fame professional basketball player. The piece of memorabilia was given to him by someone who just wanted a picture with him, and he put the jersey over LeBron’s shoulder.
LeBron was a senior at the time, and accepting the gift violated state athletic bylaws. Coach Dru believes it was a setup by a rival school. The principal of St. Vincent–St. Mary also mentions that it doesn’t help his mother bought him a car, a Hummer. (She claimed she took out a loan despite needing extra shifts as a nurse to help raise her son on a single parent’s salary).
Why was Lebron James reinstated?
LeBron James was reinstated for the Division III High School Basketball Championship game after making a plea to the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHAA). Knowing that it would not impact his NBA draft status next year and understanding that his explanation may not sway them, LeBron presents his case to play again on the team. The question arises: When will the NBA be calling him next year?
We are seeing more and more players skip their senior year in college before declaring for the draft because so much money is at stake. The movie emphasizes the importance of family and community in LeBron’s upbringing. His goal in life was to play with his friends, the fab four, his family, and Coach Dru, who served as his father figure. It also highlights his mother’s role in raising him as a single parent.
How does Lebron James and St. Vincent–St. Mary win the state championship?
LeBron, his friends, and St. Vincent–St. Mary win the Ohio State Division III Championship by playing a team-oriented game that doesn’t solely focus on LeBron James, who is the center of the game plan and part of the “fab five.” You’ll notice it was initially the fab four, but they updated it to include their new friend on the team, Romeo.
This includes Willie, the group’s leader, calling a timeout to take himself out so that Jimmy, a bench player and friend of the core group, can join the game. During the match, Jimmy hits his first-ever three-point shot. LeBron and his teammates defeat Kettering Alter to win the 2003 championship.
What happened to the Shooting Stars?
After the season ended, LeBron entered the NBA draft, and the film says he did “Okay.” Of course, LeBron is arguably one of the best players in the history of the game. He also married his high school sweetheart, Savannah. The rest of the team is as follows:
- Sian went on to play football at Ohio State University and released a rap album featured on the video game NBA 2K. The real Sian plays a fan shaking change in a Gatorade bottle during the fab four’s days playing for the Shooting Stars.
- Lil Dru played for Coach Dambrot at the University of Akron, where he became the school’s all-time assist leader. Dru went on to play 12 seasons in Europe. The real Lil Dru plays a fan shaking change in a Gatorade bottle during the fab four’s days playing for the Shooting Stars. Dru was also elected to Akron Basketball’s Hall of Fame.
- Romeo also played for Coach Dambrot at the University of Akron, where he was also elected into Akron Basketball’s Hall of Fame. Romeo played professionally overseas and plays a rival coach for the East Vikings in the 2001 Ohio State championship game.
- Willie, the group’s unspoken leader, went on to become the athletic director at St. Vincent–St. Mary’s. The real Willie played a referee that separated LeBron and Lil Dru from a shoving match during a game.
What did you think of the ending of the 2023 Peacock film Shooting Stars? Comment below.
