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High school student Greg Harris, also known as Slam, struggles with family, culture, and talent. Slam is a great basketball player, and basketball is his top priority; however, he has difficulty being a team player and is searching for his place in school and in his family. He has transferred from Carver, a primarily black, low socio-economic, and neighborhood school, to Latimer, a white, upper socio-economic, and magnet high school. As basketball season approaches, Slam thinks his life will improve. However between failing math and fighting with his coach, Slam cannot seem to keep his game together on or off the court. On the court, he grapples with the coach, a superstar attitude, teammate issues, and more. Off the court, he is trying to cope with a dying grandmother, his best friend possibly dealing drugs, a love interest, and an alcoholic father. With the help of family, friends, and an assistant coach, Slam begins to get the big picture.

Walter Dean Myers brings you into the world of Harlem and the struggles of life with his Coretta Scott King Award-winning book, Slam!

Gregory “Slam” Harris is a talented basketball player with big dreams, but he has lots of obstacles to overcome. He also has many choices to make in his life. With the help of his girlfriend, Matisha, his teachers, and his family, Slam just might make it.

Slam lives for basketball and wants to play college ball, but his grades are slipping and his parents do not have enough money to send him to a good school. Although Slam thinks everyone is trying to bring him down, he is determined to show that he is capable of great achievements. Slam wants to prove to all that he can make something of himself and make them all proud. He wants people to know his name and what he is known for, which is basketball. Like Slam says, “Basketball is my life.”

Slam reminds me of myself when he finds out that if he doesn’t bring his grades up, he will have to stop playing basketball. I can relate to this