Synopsis

After moving to Fernfield, Washington, following his father's death, shy twelve-year-old Josh Framm struggles to fit in and make the school basketball team. His life changes when he befriends Buddy, a runaway golden retriever with an astonishing talent for shooting hoops. As Josh gains confidence and Buddy becomes a sensation, the pair must stand up to Buddy's abusive former owner and prove that friendship matters more than fame.

Factoids & Trivia

• Buddy was a real golden retriever owned and trained by Kevin DiCicco. DiCicco taught him to perform in several sports, including basketball, baseball, football, soccer, and hockey.

• Before appearing in the film, Buddy became known through appearances on America's Funniest Home Videos and David Letterman's "Stupid Pet Tricks."

• The film was developed from a 1991 proposal by DiCicco and the production company Keystone Entertainment. The project was reportedly intended to use the simpler title Buddy, but that title had already been used by another 1997 film.

• Air Bud was made for an estimated $3 million and became a theatrical success, earning approximately $27.8 million in North America.

• Buddy died of cancer in February 1998, less than a year after the film's release. Air Bud remains his best-known and final film performance.

• The movie launched a series of sports-themed sequels and later the Air Buddies spin-off films.