Long Shot

August West prepares for his basketball game. The National Championship is on his late father Perry West’s birthday. His mentor, Coach Kirby, calls. He was August’s high school basketball coach. Perry apologizes that he’s going to miss August’s game—his wife is in the hospital. He reminds August to stay strong and remain focused. August is disappointed that Coach Kirby won’t be in attendance, as his stepfather, Matt, and mother, Susan, haven’t arrived yet, and his stepbrother can’t make it.

August goes to a local bar. He sees an attractive woman watching the Lakers game. He joins her, offering to buy her a drink. The two start chatting. They open up about their experiences with being Black in America and how often they’ve felt like outsiders. August reveals that his father died and that his white mother remarried a white man shortly thereafter. He’s close with his stepfather and stepbrother but has never fit into the family. However, he has found solace playing basketball. The woman tells August about her difficult upbringing, too. She never knew her father, and her mother, Priscilla, dated often. She grew attached to basketball when one of Priscilla’s boyfriends, Telly, was around. They’d watch the Lakers together. Because of her difficult home life, her cousin Lotus has always been her best friend. However, Lotus moved away to live with their grandmother after a tragedy. She talks about her childhood in Louisiana, and August shares stories about his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland.

August feels attracted to the woman. On their way out, he moves to kiss her, but she pulls away. He asks to take her home, but she reveals that she has a boyfriend and tells him that her name is Iris before leaving.

Iris attends the National Championship with Lotus. Her boyfriend, Caleb Bradley, is playing. He and August have been rivals since they were young, and they’re facing off tonight. She’s anxious to see August play but hasn’t told Lotus about their encounter the night prior. However, Lotus notices that she’s nervous, particularly when she makes remarks on August’s body. The conversation turns to Caleb. Iris reveals that he wants to get married, but she isn’t sure she’s ready. She wants to work in sports marketing. Caleb is on the verge of being drafted and isn’t interested in a long-distance relationship, but she doesn’t want to move with him to a new city. Lotus encourages her to follow her own path, reminding Iris that she’s still young. Iris feels defensive of Caleb.

Throughout the game, Iris can’t take her eyes off August, even though she and Caleb have been together for a year. When August’s team beats Caleb’s, Iris secretly celebrates. She knows how much “this [game] means to August” (36).

August celebrates with his team after they win the game. After talking to Susan and Matt, he is shocked to run into Iris. He feels the same heat he felt last night. When Caleb appears by her side, August is horrified to learn that he is Iris’s boyfriend, convinced that Iris deserves better.

Before leaving, Iris finds August and apologizes for not telling him about Caleb. She admits that Caleb wants to get married, while she wants her own career. August hopes that she gets what she wants but feels worried and defeated when they part ways.

Iris interviews with Jared Foster at Richter Spots. An enthusiastic Jared offers her a job. Iris feels elated until she vomits on Jared on her way out.

Iris FaceTimes with Lotus while taking several pregnancy tests. They are all positive. Iris is stunned. When she tells Caleb the news later, he is thrilled. Iris reveals her desire to work for Richter Sports in Chicago, Illinois. Caleb wants marriage and children and doesn’t want to live apart. Iris feels trapped.

After the NBA draft, August appears on the sports show Twofer. He is irritated when he discovers that Caleb is appearing on Twofer, too. Caleb taunts August before going on air. He was drafted by the Baltimore Stingers—August’s hometown team—and he and Iris are having a child. August was drafted by the San Diego Waves and feels upset about Iris.

Iris races to the hospital when she starts bleeding heavily. She wonders if it’s a miscarriage. Lotus visits her, and they talk about Caleb; their grandmother MiMi; Iris’s mother, Priscilla; and Iris’s future. Lotus reminds Iris of the meaning behind their identical rings from MiMi.

The doctor informs Iris that her baby is safe but puts her on bed rest for the coming months. A devastated Iris contacts Jared to turn down the Richter Sports job. She stares at her ring from MiMi and meditates on the future.

August tries to settle into life in San Diego, California. He gets to know his teammate Kenan Ross. Kenan gives him pointers and helps him adjust.

Halfway into the season, August is still thinking about Iris. He has been sleeping with other women but isn’t happy. Then, one day, he runs into Iris and her baby, Sarai, at a game. It’s been a year since they’ve seen each other, but August feels just as attracted to Iris. When he alludes to his feelings, Iris reminds him that she and Caleb “have a daughter [and] a future” (83). August is sympathetic. When she admits that she’s having a hard time being a mother and didn’t want to get pregnant, August suggests that she get a therapist because she might have postpartum depression.

Iris gets a therapist and starts journaling. Meanwhile, she keeps thinking about August. She soon realizes that she isn’t in love with Caleb. One day, she talks to Lotus about her situation. Lotus reminds her of her former goals and urges her not to get trapped in a life she doesn’t want. They start arguing about their pasts. Lotus alludes to the trauma she experienced when she was a child; she was sexually assaulted and raped by one of her mother May’s boyfriends. Then, she was sent to live with MiMi. Iris feels bad but insists that her life with Caleb isn’t the same. Lotus insists that Caleb has a dark soul and can’t be trusted. Iris doesn’t want to hear her opinions. Lotus reminds her to ask for help if she’s in trouble; she can always use their code word, “hopscotch.” After the call, Iris doubts that she’ll ask Lotus for anything.

Iris no longer enjoys sex with Caleb. She realizes how unhappy she is and wonders if Lotus was right. Then, one day, Caleb proposes. Iris insists that she isn’t ready and that their relationship has been struggling. Caleb blames Iris, as she was on bed rest and unhappy after Sarai’s birth. Iris tries a different tack, hoping that they can arrange an amicable breakup. A furious Caleb forcefully pushes Iris. His cold manner scares her.

Iris and Caleb meet with the Stingers’ outreach coordinator, Sylvia, who urges Caleb to do more charitable work, suggesting a program in downtown Baltimore. Caleb scoffs at the idea, but Iris offers to participate in his stead. After Sylvia leaves, Iris and Caleb get into an argument. Caleb proposes again with a large diamond ring, and Iris declines. An outraged Caleb grabs and throws Iris, hurting her again. He apologizes, promising not to repeat this behavior. Then, he invites Iris to his game against the Waves. Iris realizes that she’ll see August there.

Before an end-of-season game, August chats with Deck, the Waves’ operations president. They talk about the game, Caleb, and Pippa Kim, a woman August slept with some months prior. Deck reminds August not to let Caleb bother him during the game.

Caleb insists that his bodyguard, Ramone, accompany Iris and Sarai to the game. Before the game starts, Iris runs into Jared. He reveals that he now has his own company and urges Iris to get in touch with him whenever she’s ready to start working again.

August plays well in the game. Then, toward the end of the game, Caleb shoves August to the ground. Pain courses through his body; his bone is sticking through his leg. August wonders if Caleb is sending a warning.

Iris is horrified by Caleb’s behavior, convinced that it’s dirty play. She also worries for August and wonders if Caleb hurt him over her. That evening, she watches television to see the results of August’s injury. Deck says that there’s no news yet. She waits for Caleb to return to see if the league will punish him.

Deck visits August in the hospital. His leg is broken, so he’ll have to get surgery and take time off from basketball. He is devastated but feels relieved when his stepbrother, Jared Foster, comes to visit.