A young man unpacks his emotions surrounding his difficult relationship with his favorite sport.Udoka Clendon is a Black Canadian freshman attending university on a basketball scholarship. After losing the final game of his first season, he believes that he has no place on his team and feels no drive to even play the game anymore. Even though he's initially reluctant, after being encouraged by his girlfriend, Udoka agrees to try speaking with someone about what he's going through. He meets with psychologist Dr. Feldbrook, the varsity athlete adviser, and begins to have sessions in which he's able to unpack childhood memories and focus on understanding how events and experiences in his life have led him to where he is now, shaping his understanding of the world and himself. The accessible text alternates between the past and the present, in clearly labeled sections narrated by Udoka, and is occasionally interwoven with sections called "Feldbrook's Lesson." The therapy sessions counter the negativity Udoka feels about himself and speak to the importance of believing in and being your authentic self. 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. (author's note) (Fiction. 14-18)