Description
Description
Udoka Clendon is a first-year university student and a product of basketball systems that have produced professional players.
He's been pushed relentlessly by the obsessive mentorship of his older brother, which has been tolerated by his hard-working single mother. For years his brother has taken him to tournaments and pushed him to succeed on the outdoor courts of the west end.
Burdened by expectations and self-doubt, Udoka tries to reignite his passion for the game. Now, he's been given a final opportunity at the city-wide tournament to rediscover his confidence and his sense of purpose--all of which he fears he has lost forever.
With the clarity and poetic style of a seasoned writer, and drawing on his own time as an elite sports prospect, Jawara Pedican shows the trials and traumas of becoming fixated on a dream of sports stardom.
Critical Reviews
Critical Reviews
"The novel does a wonderful job of normalizing opening up and using counseling services, especially for boys and young men who often feel that they have to bottle up their emotions. A sincere, inspiring look at dealing with and overcoming self-doubt, ideal for reluctant readers."--Kirkus Review
-- (6/1/2023 12:00:00 AM)"A potent message about the mental toll of elite sports and the value of playing for love of the game will resonate with teens. Recommended for high school libraries."--School Library Journal
-- (9/1/2023 12:00:00 AM)
Publishing Information
Publishing Information

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