The Jump (Roberto Agrait)

The Jump, Ian O’Connor, Rodale Inc., 312 pages

I found the book after hearing about it in the documentary about Sebastian Telfair who the book is on.

Summary: There is Coney Island high school basketball star that is finding his way through the journey of transitioning and becoming an NBA player. He knew all about how the world of recruiting works and how unpredictable it is, because his older brother played D1 college ball and was leading the Big East in scoring and didn’t get drafted when he was supposed to. At the beginning of his senior year he said he was going to play at the University Of Louisville next season with Coach Patino. But as the season went on he was better than people though and he began getting looked at by NBA scouts and then he showed interest in the NBA. He began thinking of what he should do go to college or go straight pro and get his family out of the poverty and violence of the Coney Island projects like his famous cousin Stephon Murbary who played in the NBA. On the way to making his decision he was being influenced by family shoe endorsers offering millions and even famous celebrates like Jay Z. He won a third straight State Tile making him a legend in New York which got him higher in the minds of NBA GM’s. He made the jump into the NBA by putting his name in the draft. He got drafted by the Portland Blazer’s and got an Addias shoe contract, and got his family out of the poverty and violence and embracement of having a foot in and out of the league before.

The Audience is those who like basketball and the story of a boy to come from nothing to a whole lot and made something from his self.

The authors style using quote’s and facts and description to get you to understand what’s going on and make you feel what’s going on.
“He entered a conference room with the greatest of ease, extended a hand, and apologized not for his casual attire but for the construction that had shifted the commissioner and this meeting into temporary quarters. No harm, no foul. The large windows delivered a stunning view of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and a devilish sneak peek the commissioner was eager to speak.” (109)

“ St. Vincent- St. Mary moved home games to the University of Akron to draw bigger crowds at higher ticket prices, put some games on pay-per-view, and requested $15,000 a pop for allowing its basketball genius to play in a promoter’s friendly neighborhood gym.” (82)

It struck me the game of high school basketball can rake in thousands for a school and it’s a high stakes game of money.

“He could take over a game any time he wanted to on the college level. The guy was the leadind scorer in the Big East. You figure he had to get drafted.” (11)

it was amazing to me that a guy who lead the Big East in scoring one of the toughest college league in the country wont get drafted. It seems weird to me.
“On the corner of Mermaid and West 19th, Telfair did what he’d been trained to do in Vietnam to do. He located the enemy and aimed his loaded gun.” ( 14)

It was a story the was a theme of the story of not letting anyone hurt you or get you, you always get up and keep fighting.

I related to the book in ways because I play basketball and I can understand how hard it is to do what he did so I can see some what how much stress and publicity and others things come with it. The book showed me other good lessons because you never know if what you worked for will pay off even if your good at it, you need a back up plan like his older brother. It was a story that has taught me to not give up and not let other tell you what you can do and not do. But also listen to the people who know what they are talking about and take there advice.