When Josh Framm finds himself in a new city with no friends, he's too shy to try out for the basketball team. However, he meets Buddy, a runaway golden retriever with the ability to score baskets.

When his teenage owner reluctantly becomes the school's new quarterback, Buddy catches the spirit and joins the team. The two find themselves leading the Timberwolves to the state championship. Bud's victory hopes are sidelined when two sinister Russian circus owners take a bite out of everyone's plans and dognaps Buddy for their star attraction.