The First Basket

Director: David Vyorst

Genre: Documentary, Sport

Release Date: October 29, 2008 (New York)

Duration: 86 minutes

Cast: Red Auerbach, Peter Riegert, Ossi Schectman

Overview: When Ossi Schectman, a Jewish boy from Brooklyn, made the first basket for the New York Knickerbockers in 1946, knew that was the forerunner of the current NBA? For Jewish immigrants, particularly youth, sport plays an important role in helping them assimilate. In the 1920s, almost all Jewish neighborhoods had a basketball team. When these teams became professional leagues in late 1940s, Jewish players and coaches led the way.