The film features real National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) schools, although the rosters are fictitious.

The film was released in the United States on March 28, 1997[1] to negative reviews from critics and mild box office success, grossing almost $15 million.

Antoine (Kadeem Hardison) and Kenny Tyler (Marlon Wayans), two close brothers, play a basketball game in 1986.

Their father, James, coaches the team and directs Kenny to take the last shot for the win, but he passes the ball to Antoine out of fright, who misses and costs them the game.

In the present day, both Antoine and Kenny are a famed duo on their University of Washington college basketball team, the Huskies.

During a road game at UCLA, Antoine scores a slam dunk before suffering a heart attack while hanging on the rim.

Under Antoine's influence, the team storms through the competition and eventually make it to the NCAA tournament, for the first time in over a decade.

originally prepares to submit a story to the paper when Kenny discloses to her that Antoine is aiding the team, but eventually decides against it.

However, in the Final Four against Georgetown, Antoine's antics seriously injure their All-American, Jerrod Smith (Flex), a close friend of Kenny's.

[3] The film was released on March 28, 1997, and made $4,128,178 in its opening weekend at the box office, and went on to gross $14,772,788 throughout its theatrical run.

[5] Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times said: "The Sixth Man is another paint-by-the-numbers sports movie, this one about a college basketball team that makes it to the NCAA finals with the help of the ghost of one of its dead stars.