The Scheme

The Scheme is an American documentary film that premiered on HBO on March 31, 2020. The film is a diligent inspection into an engaging world of college basketball where the courts, instead of being merely a place for sport and competition, turn into a stage for transgressions, intrigues and an exciting court case.

The film primarily revolves around Christian Dawkins, a man with an uncanny knack for business who plunges into the deep, complex dynamics of college basketball - a world filled with high-stakes, powerful institutions, and influential personalities. Dawkins, who started out being a sports agent, finds himself at the center of a scandal that shakes the foundation of college basketball in America.

Dawkins played a crucial role in the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball corruption scandal, a series of corruption incidents involving illegal recruitment processes in the college basketball structure. The scandal revealed the well-known dirty secret of illegal transactions behind college sports, uncovering the system of bribes that ties amateur athletes, coaches, and shoe companies together.

The film subtly unwraps this scandal, looking closer into the figures and forces comprising this exciting world of American college basketball. In lieu of the scandal, other personalities also appear, including the voices of well-known coaches Sean Miller and Will Wade, exposing the larger system at play behind the scenes of the basketball games millions appreciated.

Directed by Pat Kondelis, The Scheme seamlessly integrates archival footage, interviews, and behind-the-scenes glimpses into 2 hours of gripping storytelling. The story is narrated by Dawkins himself, providing the viewers an uncensored and sincere look into the underbelly of the college basketball universe. His charismatic persona and compelling narrative make the film not just an ordinary documentary but a nail-biting crime thriller.

The movie also stands as a testament to the socio-cultural landscape that surrounds American college sports. It serves as a raw, unfiltered lens through which viewers can scrutinize the endemic corruption that has silently grown within the foundational roots of college basketball. That said, it is a potent statement about the troubled marital relationship between sports and business in a system that seemingly goes unchecked.

The Scheme effectively becomes a platform for Dawkins to present his side of the story, his perspective on the scandal, and his beliefs about the overall system of college basketball. Rather than depicting him as a villain or a scapegoat, the film attempts to present an unbiased portrait of Dawkins as a result of a profoundly flawed system that compelled him to make the decisions he did.

While the movie significantly focuses on the outraged reactions and the immediate fallout of the scandal, it also raises questions about the larger implications and the chronically system at large. It forces viewers to rethink their understanding of college basketball's glamour, emphasizing the deep-seated corruption running through the veins of this high-stakes sport and the challenges of fighting it.

The Scheme isn’t just about the enthralling tale of a man who found himself caught in the crossfire of ambition, power, and corruption. Beyond its gripping narrative, it extends its focus to unveil a larger, more unsettling reality - the institutionalized corruption closely knitted into the fabric of sports, specifically college level basketball.

Raising critical issues about the legality and ethics of amateur sports, The Scheme offers a penetrating look into the arrangement where vested interests, greed, decaying morals, and the relentless desire to win at any cost, dismantle the very essence of fair sportsmanship.

A perfect pick for sports enthusiasts and documentary lovers alike, The Scheme is a compelling exploration of corruption in sports that manages to entertain while shedding light on underlying systemic issues. It’s a stunningly crafted story that serves as a riveting testament to the illicit realities of college basketball, yet a significant cultural commentary on the seedy side of American sports. Through its raw storytelling and no holds barred style, The Scheme reveals the shadowy spectacle that unfolds behind the glamour of the game, an eye-opener that leaves audiences intrigued and informed about the controversial landscape of modern collegiate athletics.