Love & Basketball Sanaa Lathan had never played basketball before her audition for the film. She trained with an assistant coach for the LA Sparks for five hours a day in order to look more convincing as a seasoned player.
Alfre Woodard plays Sanaa Lathan’s mother in the film. She went on to play Lathan’s mother in "Something New" (2006) and Tyler Perry’s "The Family That Preys" (2008).
"Love & Basketball" marked the directorial debut of Gina Prince-Bythewood.