Watch The Scheme

The Scheme is a 2020 investigative documentary film that follows the real-life story of basketball entrepreneur Christian Dawkins and his involvement in a bribery scandal that rocked the NCAA and the world of college basketball. The film digs deep into the dark underbelly of college basketball, exposing the greed and corruption within the multimillion-dollar industry. It starts by chronicling Dawkins' rise from a young and ambitious entrepreneur to a notorious figure in the world of college basketball.

The movie depicts how in the summer of 2017, Christian Dawkins, along with other figures in the sports industry, was arrested on charges of fraud and bribery, revealing an FBI investigation that uncovered systematic corruption within college basketball. For many years, Dawkins had been facilitating business transactions between some of the industry's most lucrative agents, shoe companies, and prospective elite college athletes.

With interviews from reporters, agents, and coaches, The Scheme not only gives an insight into the legality of the NCAA's amateurism model but reveals how the institutions had been operating as a front for the college basketball's underground economy, with agents, coaches, and middlemen all profiting off the hard work and talent of athletes without sharing this wealth.

There are interviews with several big names in the NCAA tournament, including Arizona coach Sean Miller, who was one of the coaches accused of paying players, and LSU coach Will Wade, who had been caught on record discussing potential recruitment offers for athlete prospects. Through interviews with those involved in the FBI investigation, we hear firsthand about the lengths that many at the top levels of college basketball would go to gain a competitive edge in the industry.

Alongside Dawkins, there are interviews with the assistant coaches and prominent basketball figures who used Dawkins and his companies to funnel illicit funds and support prized NBA prospects. The film gives us an idea of the influence of agents and boosters who are often behind the scenes, influencing decisions made by players that could affect their future in college basketball.

The Scheme uncovers the wiretapped audio recordings of Dawkins, who inadvertently captured some of the most prominent coaches in college basketball discussing their player recruitment strategies, including bribery offers to lure players to the colleges they represent. Through these audio tapes, the film portrays the shockingly open conversation that goes on in the sports industry, where the top-level officials freely discuss supporting college students.

The film also offers a compelling perspective on situations where the coaches are in direct competition between securing a star recruit's talent and following the NCAA rules. In one such situation, Wade speaks with Dawkins broadly about two athletes, while considering specific dollar amounts that would influence their decision about enrolling at LSU.

In addition to interviews, there are visual recreations and graphics throughout the film to help viewers understand the complexity of the case. For instance, visual maps explain the tangled web of coaches, players and agents that make up the lucrative college basketball industry.

Overall, The Scheme is an eye-opening exposé into the systemic corruption of the NCAA college basketball system, which should be required viewing for anyone interested in the college basketball, business, or how power and money decide and influence decisions. It explores the dark corners of the industry that have been lurking beneath the veneer of glamour, loyalty, and tradition in basketball. The Scheme remains a must-see for basketball adventurists, and those seeking reform of NCAA college basketball.

The Scheme is a 2020 documentary with a runtime of 2 hours. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.1.