The Crossover

At the beginning of this story, Josh does not lack confidence. However, as the story progresses, Josh loses his footing and is set off-balance, first by the disruption of his relationship with JB, then by the declining health of his father. Josh builds his confidence on exterior factors: he’s a basketball star; his family is a happy, cohesive unit; and he’s best friends with his twin brother. When these exterior supports begin to deteriorate, Josh has to look inward to discover who he is and what he is capable of, rendering him vulnerable to love, loss, and pain. In the final seconds of the championship game, knowing his father is gone, Josh makes the game-winning shot with tears streaming down his face. In the end, his confidence and his vulnerabilities are the same.

There are ten rules for basketball throughout the story, but each one easily doubles as life advice. When Josh is trying to find a way back into JB’s good graces after throwing a ball at his brother’s face, the basketball rule talks about the importance of rebounding. When a fissure finally appears in JB’s angry façade and Josh sees a potential shift for good in their relationship, the basketball rule points to fading away (stepping back) to make the shot (achieve the goal).