BOXED OUT: THE LEAGUE THAT CHANGED BASKETBALL

Before the NBA and the ABA, there was the Eastern Professional Basketball Association (EBL). Boxed Out illuminates the rich and largely untold history of the EBL from its founding in 1946 to its unlikely transition into becoming today’s NBA minor league system. Forgotten by history and unknown to today’s sports fans, the EBL served as a crucible of talent, competition, and groundbreaking racial integration in professional basketball. Boxed Out is the first film to bring to life the stories of the league’s players, coaches, and fans. It offers a unique window into a time and place where basketball was more than a game—it was a movement that transcended racial barriers and set the stage for the modern NBA. Through intimate interviews with basketball legends, former EBL stars, officials, and fans, heretofore unseen archival footage, and authentic radio broadcasts, this film will spotlight a pivotal chapter in sports history that has remained in the shadows for too long. Q&A with sportscaster James (JB) Brown following screening.