Basketball represents The Effects of Peer Pressure and conforming to stereotypes, as well as the rivalry and resolution between Owen and Russell. From Chapter 1, basketball brings stress to Owen because selection for the team is being handled in a new way that he doesn’t like—via tryouts. This associates basketball with the pressure to do well and make the team, because it is what he and his peers expect from him. When the coach tells Russell to try out, this makes basketball an even bigger stressor for Owen. Not only is basketball no longer something he can count on, but the potential of Russell joining the team makes Owen feel as though his brother is encroaching on his space and taking over the thing that lets Owen stand out.

Basketball also tracks along Owen and Russell’s relationship. The leadup to tryouts is a time filled with stress and fear, as Owen and his friends wonder what will be expected of them. For Owen, these fears are compounded by the desire to out-perform Russell but also keep his brother from being an embarrassment. This emotional struggle, aligned with the leadup to the tryouts, builds toward the moment where everything changes for both Russell and Owen.