The 15 Best ESPN 30 For 30 Documentaries

Summary

• The best 30 for 30 episodes explore legendary sports figures and wild stories, captivating new and old fans alike.
• Each episode delves deep into a single sports tale, from big rivalries to controversial athletes with cultural impacts.
• From the Bad Boy Pistons to the ’85 Bears, the series shines a light on fascinating sports stories captivating audiences worldwide.

The best 30 for 30 episodes have explored some of the most legendary sports figures of all time as well as some of the wildest sports stories. Michael Jordan, Lance Armstrong, and Muhammad Ali are just a few of the iconic names to be featured in an installment of ESPN’s 30 for 30 series. The docuseries is one of the many reasons why ESPN is considered the world leader in sports television. However, the series has a reputation for being so enthralling that even non-sports fans can’t stay away.

Each installment does a deep dive into one subject, with some focusing on a single game and others spanning years of an epic sports story. The best 30 for 30 episodes have explored some of the biggest rivalries in sports, the most controversial athletes, and some mind-blowing tales that have bigger cultural implications. While there are many great sports tales to explore, like the movies based on real events, these are the best ones for new fans to check out first or for old fans to revisit.

15 I Hate Christian Laettner (2015)

A Look At A College Basketball Villain

Sports are unique in that they’re one of the few things that make fans absolutely love or hate someone they have never met. In the cast of Christian Laettner, it was bigger than life. Laettner played for one of the greatest teams in college basketball history, the Duke Blue Devils. Playing for Duke brings high emotions from fans of other colleges. However, Laettner also carried himself with an arrogance where he knew he was great, and he didn’t care what anyone else thought.

Christian Laettner is in the College Basketball Hall of Fame (Class of 2010).

Years after Laettner stopped playing basketball (he played a decade in the NBA), fans still hate him for this perceived arrogance. The ESPN documentary I Hate Christian Laettner explores this phenomenon, talking to his friends, former teammates, coaches, and players who played on opposing teams to explore what made him such a polarizing superstar. Narrated by Rob Lowe, this is a more lighthearted documentary for the series and is an amusing look at one of basketball’s best villains.

14 Brian and The Boz (2014)

There wasn’t a bigger superstar in college football in the 1980s than Brian Bosworth. Known by the nickname, The Boz, he was an Oklahoma Sooners linebacker who was beloved by the Sooners faithful and hated by most of the rest of the college football fandom. He was also one of the smartest men to play the game, as he marketed his image and made a lot of money by selling “Anti-Boz” merchandise, appearing in movies like Stone Cold, and ultimately ensuring his body with Lloyd’s of London.

What makes this ESPN 30 for 30 special so interesting is that Brian Bosworth takes his son through all his old memorabilia from a storage unit and relives some of his past life through these memories. Seeing how his son is so star-struck by the rebellious Boz disturbs Bosworth, and this documentary shows that sometimes the biggest cult heroes are not really comfortable with the reputation they left behind.

13 Nature Boy (2017)

A Look At The Legacy Of “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair

In 2017, the ESPN 30 for 30 series focused on the man considered to be the greatest professional wrestler of all time, The Nature Boy Ric Flair. While many fans know about Flair’s in-ring career in WCW and WWE, there is a lot more to his story and the peaks and valleys are unlike almost any other professional athlete. This documentary looks at Flair’s life, but it also has a different focus, as it focuses on the master of wrestling heels and what makes a great villain.

Even his best friend Triple H says Flair is a “liar” in his interview.

This was the first 30 for 30 about a professional wrestler and was a huge success. The documentary interviews everyone from Undertaker, Sting, Ricky Steamboat, Shawn Michaels, and Triple H and has a lot of stories that make this such a fascinating watch. The feature is not about wrestling as much as it is about Flair, the man, but it is also a story he tells, and not everything is true. Even his best friend Triple H says Flair is a “liar” in his interview, but that is part of the fun.

12 Lance (2020)

The Controversial Rise & Fall Of Lance Armstrong

Lance is a very polarizing addition to the 30 For 30 slate of documentary features. This one is about Lance Armstrong, and it features a long sit-down interview with the cyclist himself. This was released in 2020, which was eight years after his lifetime ban from the USADA when the organization found him guilty of doping violations while competing as the best cyclist in the world. What really makes this feature so controversial is that Armstrong is still defiant and refuses to accept the allegations.

This was a bigger 30 For 30 documentary as it was a two-part episode. It starts with some people in a bar mocking Armstrong and yelling insults at him, only for Armstong to go to the manager, pay their tab, and ensure that they will tell them he took care of it. This leads to interviews with Armstrong and those involved, a deep look at the charges against him, and how they destroyed his career and leveled a hit at all the charity work he had done over the years.

11 Wrestling the Curse (2015)

Exploring The Von Erich Wrestling Curse

Movie-goers got to learn about the Von Erich family thanks to the 2023 film The Iron Claw. However, nine years before that, the ESPN 30 For 30 series already revealed this story to the world. The feature speaks to Kevin Von Erich, the only surviving Von Erich brother — all but one who worked as a wrestler at one time or another. Kevin had one brother die as a child, and then all his other siblings either died due to drug problems or by suicide. This feature shows Kevin living his best life in Hawaii.

Kevin still defends his father, in contrast to what things like
The Iron Claw
showed him to be.

While The Iron Claw centered on his brothers’ deaths and how they destroyed his family and their wrestling company, the 30 For 30 goes a long way to show the one who survived. Kevin now has his own family, and his two sons became wrestlers in their own right. However, unlike his father, he never pushed them to be any more than what they are. It is also interesting to watch because Kevin still defends his father, despite the alleged abuses The Iron Claw depicted.

Chris Von Erich, the youngest Von Erich brother who died by suicide, was not featured in
The Iron Claw
as director Sean Durkin thought his inclusion would make the movie too tragic.

10 You Don’t Know Bo (2012)

A Look At Football And Baseball Star Bo Jackson

The term “larger than life” is thrown around quite often, especially in sports, but only a handful of athletes ever actually feel like they live up to that billing. Bo Jackson was exactly that kind of person, especially given his penchant for being a star in both baseball and football, which is the focus of this documentary. Jackson broke records and made a substantial impact in both sports, showcasing a once-in-a-lifetime athletic talent that was captivating to experience.

Despite never winning a championship or being in the Hall of Fame, Jackson was a massive star.

You Don’t Know Bo centers on that idea, as despite never winning a championship or being in the Hall of Fame, Jackson was a massive star. He became a cultural phenomenon on top of his amazing dual career in sports. The titular Nike campaign played a major part in marketing him as a big deal, which was unheard of at the time, and the documentary explores that.

9 Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. The New York Knicks (2010)

The 90s NBA Rivalry Between The Knicks And The Pacers

One of the most memorable rivalries in basketball during the ’90s was between the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers, a battle between two giants that is covered in the 30 for 30 episode, Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. The New York Knicks. They met several times in big games throughout the decade but the two biggest clashes came during the 1994 and 1995 NBA Playoffs.

The story culminates in an unforgettable moment in sports with Miller’s performance in the 1995 Eastern Conference Semifinals.

While the players on both teams, especially Indiana’s Reggie Miller, had key roles, the most pivotal figure of the phenomenon was acclaimed director Spike Lee. As a huge Knicks fan, Lee agitated Miller at courtside and the documentary showcases how vicious this got, often causing Miller to dominate the Knicks. The story culminates in an unforgettable moment in sports with Miller’s performance in the 1995 Eastern Conference Semifinals, including his conflict with Lee.

8 The ’85 Bears (2016)

There are only a handful of teams that can be considered among the greatest in NFL history. Right near the top or at the very top are the 1985 Chicago Bears. Along with the Bears’ dominance on the gridiron, they were also a wild collection of personalities. The ’85 Bears documentary shines a light on that squad, which was well known for having huge egos, tons of talent, and backing it all up on the field.

Combine that swagger with Mike Ditka, one of the all-time great football coaches, and there’s a story for the ages in this retrospective. The documentary also puts special focus on Buddy Ryan, the mastermind behind the ’85 Bears’ defense which was called perhaps the most dominant in the history of the sport. It is an insightful and charming look at the collection of characters that led the team to a Super Bowl victory.

7 Bad Boys (2014)

The Notoriously Physical Detroit Pistons

There are always those teams that become bigger than just a championship-winning squad. That’s the case with the “Bad Boy” Detroit Pistons, who carved out a niche by being unapologetically themselves, even if it made everyone hate them. The “Bad Boys” were known for playing a physical style, disrespecting opponents, and being widely disliked by the league.

Despite that, these Pistons won two NBA Championships and this documentary takes a look at that iconic era and what this team meant to the history of the league. The team consisted of big personalities and talents, like Dennis Rodman and Isiah Thomas, along with their respected coach, Chuck Daly. It is fascinating to look at this team that pushed the rules of the game, angered many of their peers, and gained a lot of fans due to their grittiness.

6 Survive And Advance (2013)

Jimmy V And The Wolfpack Make A Comeback

One of the most beloved names in sports is Jim Valvano, often known as just Jimmy V. He tragically passed away at 47 from cancer, just months after delivering one of the most iconic and emotional speeches in the history of the ESPYs, cementing his legendary status in the eyes of fans and admirers. The run through the NCAA Tournament and the life of Jimmy V are both on full display in Survive and Advance.

Jimmy V famously led the North Carolina State Wolfpack to the NCAA Championship in 1983, with the game ending on a buzzer-beating dunk off of a desperation shot from deep. It is seen as a seemingly impossible comeback story all with the likable hero at its center. The gripping documentary gives the impression of watching one of the great underdog movies of all time.

5 Four Falls Of Buffalo (2015)

The Buffalo Bills Make Unfortunate Super Bowl History

Going from one of the great underdog stories to a story of one of the biggest disappointments of great potential, that is the tale behind the Buffalo Bills in the early 1990s, who showcased amazing talents as a team during the regular season, then went on to achieve a Super Bowl record that no team would want to have. These Bills are the only team in history to make four straight Super Bowl appearances but they also lost all four.

Four Falls of Buffalo discusses these teams by interviewing former players and showing the famous plays that helped keep each team just shy of glory. It is an amazing story of a strange combination of success and failure. Seeing what the team is able to achieve only to continuously fall short of their ultimate goal over and over again is a heartbreaking and hard-to-watch story that is nonetheless exhilarating.

4 Of Miracles And Men (2015)

Team USA Performs A Miracle On Ice

Of Miracles and Men takes a look at the famous “Miracle on Ice.” This sports phenomenon happened at the 1980 Winter Olympics when the heavily favored four-time defending gold medalist Soviet Union hockey team shockingly lost to the young United States team. The story is so legendary that it is even the subject of one of the best hockey movies ever, Miracle.

It has gone on to be seen as one of the greatest real-life sports stories of all time with some interesting links to real-world events with the Cold War and tensions between the countries. The story is great to retell on its own but this documentary dives deeper, taking a look at both sides of the match. This includes a moment featuring gold medalist Viacheslav Fetisov returning to Lake Placid (where the miracle happened) to discuss the loss.

3 Celtics/Lakers: Best Of Enemies (2017)

Magic Johnson And Larry Bird Lead A Legendary NBA Rivalry

The story of Celtics/Lakers: Best of Enemies is so grand that it actually takes three parts to fully tell. There is so much storied history behind the rivalry between the Boston Celtics and LA Lakers in the 1980s as well as iconic figures from the world of basketball and beyond. Some people may also be somewhat familiar with the true story from Winning Time, the Max series that dramatized the amazing rivalry with the series featuring the likes of John C. Reilly, Jason Segel, and Adrien Brody.

However, with that show being canceled after two seasons, this 30 for 30 documentary is the more informative take. The documentary is compelling because this isn’t a typical sports feud. The Celtics and Lakers met several times in the Finals during the ’80s and the battles between them helped make the NBA into the massive success that it is today. It also helps to have stories told by the charismatic figures of the era like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.

2 Once Brothers (2010)

The Basketball Story Teammates And Friends Driven Apart

The NBA has certainly become a global sport, possibly more than any other major league based in the United States. Some of the first international players to make an impact in the NBA were Vlade Divac and Dražen Petrović. Once Brothers looks at the relationship between Divac and Petrović who played together and were great friends but were driven apart by the Yugoslav Wars since they were on opposing sides.

As seen in many of 30 for 30‘s most acclaimed entries, the sports docuseries does a great job of showing compelling moments where the sports world and the larger world collide. The heartbreaking tale of these two athletes is such a bigger story yet one that inevitably comes back to the game of basketball. Tragically, Petrović died in a car accident when he was 28 and they never could reconcile, making this a sad but important documentary.

1 The Two Escobars (2010)

The Shocking Connection Between Soccer Star Andrés Escobar And Drug Lord Pablo Escobar

30 for 30 has earned a reputation as being one of the great docuseries with stories that appeal to a mainstream audience far beyond just sports fans. Everything about The Two Escobars comes together to tell one of the wildest and most unexpected stories in sports history. It showcases how the lives of soccer star Andrés Escobar and legendary drug lord Pablo Escobar were somehow intertwined.

Pablo helped fund Andrés’s successful South American team but when they went to the ’94 World Cup, Andrés accidentally scored an “own goal”, helping to cost his team the game. Days later, 27-year-old Andrés was assassinated and this documentary looks at how these events truly connect. Shows like Narcos have explored the lasting fascination with Pablo Escobar, but this remains one of the most shocking stories of the infamous figure that many never knew about.