NBA superstar Shaquille O'Neal stars with Nick Nolte in the story of championship collegiate basketball coach Pete Bell (Nolte), who has always been known for running the cleanest program in the league. But when Bell suddenly finds himself at the end of his first losing season, the pressure is on from the alumni, the fans, and himself to get back on top. Seeing no other way, he decides to attract the nation's top up-and-coming talent ("blue chips") the only way he knows how: by paying them under the table.

But now that Bell has the best team money can buy, including a seven-foot phenomenon from the bayou (O'Neal), he finds that the ultimate price for his success may be his career.