Kalif Brown is an inspiring basketball star, who has what it takes to make it to the NBA. He’s a high school senior with big dreams. But, his off the court lifestyle of drugs and guns, may land him in jail or dead. Growing up in a drug-infested neighborhood filled with junkies, and criminals, doesn’t make his situation any better. And, like most young black men and women he’s living in a single parent home with his mother. He doesn’t have a father figure; therefore he turns to a local dealer to fill that image of a father. Kalif must make a choice. Will it be Hustling or Hooping? And, he must make this decision fast because his dreams and life may depend on it.
Many young inner city athletes and those not into sports, deal with the pressures of everyday life. And, many find it hard to deal with especially if they don’t have anyone to talk to. Hustling or Hooping may be a fictional book, but there is a Kalif Brown in every urban city in the U.S. Many young black men grow up fatherless, and turn to the streets for a family. The outcome is usually negative. But, many do make it out of their situations. This book is highly recommended for any young man, or woman who is growing up in a negative environment, and feels as though he or she cannot make that change for the good. This book can be a tool, to make that negative situation a positive one. But also, this book reveals the consequences of not making that change for the better.
