Steve James’ basketball doc debuts at SXSW

OSCAR NOMINEE STEVE JAMES, an Oscar nominee for the seminal “Hoop Dreams,” has told another compelling basketball documentary: “No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson” for ESPN’s “30 for 30” series.

The documentary is about a 1993 incident in James’ hometown of Hampton, Va., that racially divided the community and came to define the 17-year old basketball star’s image, however unfairly.

“No Crossover” makes its world premiere at the South by Southwest Film Festival, March 12-20, in Austin, Texas, followed by an April 6 screening at Chicago at the Midwest Independent Film Festival.

The series celebrates the sports channel’s 30th anniversary. Thirty films about sports stories since 1930 by noted directors (Barry Levinson, Peter Berg, Albert Maysles, et al), air on ESPN from Feb. 22 to June 22. “No Crossover” airs April 13.