Documentary Review: “The Waiting Game” – The NBA’s Unfinished Business.

“The Waiting Game” directed by Michael Husain, is a deeply emotional and thought-provoking documentary that examines a battle between a nonprofit organization ‘Dropping Dimes Foundation‘ and the NBA (National Basketball Association) over their failure to recognize and honour the pensions of former players of the American Basketball Association (ABA).

It is almost always rewarding to see a film that exposes me to something that I was completely oblivious to, especially when it has something to do with a cause or initiative of humanitarian significance. This film tells a story of corporate power, human dignity, and the forgotten legends of sport that we all love. It shows the fight by a nonprofit to make sure that these forgotten legends are taken care of by the organization that they have in many ways contributed to building.

For many people particularly of a younger generation, the ABA might not be known to them. It was a rival league that, in many ways, helped shape the modern game of basketball. This very vibrant and innovative league, gave the NBA many of its most iconic elements including some iconic players like Julius “Dr. J” Erving (who also features in the film) with his incredible dunks. The ABA is also responsible for introducing the 3-point line.

The two leagues were merged in 1976. Well more like the NBA absorbed the ABA. Unfortunately, only a few ABA teams were kept leaving many of its players in limbo with promises of benefits and pensions that never materialized. These were players who undoubtedly helped build this billion-dollar machine but were left behind with most of them having to turn to charity in their old age and in times of need.

Bruce Springsteen’s lyrics are quoted at the start of the film “Once I made you rich, rich enough to forget my name.” Its essence echoes throughout this film in the film, and the heartbreak of these athletes becomes painfully clear.

Dropping Dimes Foundation, founded by Scott Tarter and Dr. John Abrams,sought to right this wrong, advocating for these forgotten men. Their efforts are captured in this film along with some of these neglected players and the hardships that they have had to endure. Some of them died without so much as a befitting burial.

The film paints a harrowing picture of the extremes of this situation and several of these players are shown in the film giving first-hand accounts and testimonies of their situations.

What makes “The Waiting Game” more gripping is how it unearths the legal and moral failures of the NBA in dealing with these players. The film sometimes feels like a true crime documentary, exposing what could be considered white-collar negligence. While there may be no legal obligation for the NBA to take care of these former players, the moral implications are hard to ignore. How did things get this far without anyone noticing that there was a massive problem?

The film takes us back to the days of the merger and how negotiations went revealing how the players’ union was led to believe that they would be treated as fairly as the NBA treats its players.

It also does an excellent job painting a glaring picture of the NBA’s corporate machinery, a conglomerate that wields immense power but callously refuses to help those who helped build it. Despite public statements of support, the NBA’s reluctance to act swiftly in this matter makes you wonder if it is more about protecting their bottom line than doing what’s right even after agreeing to take some responsibility.

Several months pass without coming to a solution. Through the film, you can sense the frustration of some of the players as well as the board of the Dropping Dimes Foundation as they tried to navigate these bureaucratic waters and this amps up the intensity of the film.

The film features interviews with some notable figures in sports as well as the press who all add to the conversation on its subject matter. The narrative also features a collection of ABA photos, videos, and memorabilia that serve as a bittersweet tribute to a league that was ahead of its time.

I will score this film 4 out of 5 stars. Just like the cause taken up by the Dropping Dimes Foundation this film certainly brings some awareness to the predicaments of people that should in no way be forgotten.