Time is weird. I'm just a bit younger than the players profiled in this book, and I remember reading at least parts of it when it was new. It was, at the time, a rare look into the NCAA recruiting process as experienced by high school superstars whose grades and test scores were on the borderline but still pinned their hopes on their basketball talent overcoming that barrier to get them out of the crushing poverty of the terrible housing projects on Coney Island. As I started listening to this 30th anniversary edition, my first thought was how has it been 30 years? It feels like yesterday!

As I listened, I realized that what at the time of its writing was intended to be an extremely specific story that illustrated the problematic nature of college sports as a business has now become a precious time capsule of a moment in sports and society that we are now all too quick to forget.

Even the most casual basketball fan will immediately recognize the schools and coaches whose recruiting practices feature in the book - in retrospect, it's fairly amazing that the author was allowed by his publisher's legal department to include so many specifics. Of course, in this era of social media, it's not possible for the NCAA to preserve the secrecy that protected some of these folks for far too long...but for anyone too young to remember a time before social media, this was a huge deal at the time.

Another thing that will be educational for younger readers - Brooklyn was not always inhabited by hipsters and movie stars. Even those of us who have never lived in New York are familiar with many of the neighborhoods from movies, TV shows, etc. - and while this story ends before the real gentrification began, you will be amazed at the degree of change that has occurred in the past thirty years. Not to mention the specific dollar amounts that are mentioned as housing costs.

While I appreciate the new forward to this anniversary edition, I do wish there had been just a bit more framing to help those who weren't around at the time to go into the world of Coney Island, 1991 with a bit more context - but I'm glad this one got a rerelease that will put it in front of a new generation of readers.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

If you love Hoop Dreams, this book's for you. I felt moved, frustrated, and energized. Even casual fans of basketball will get something out of this. Loved the Coney Island setting. Good audio narrator too.

This book had me hooked from the first paragraph! These boys were trying so hard to use what they knew, basketball, to get out of the world of Coney Island. The amount of work they put in was inspiring. The hope they had for the future was huge. The chance they will reach their dreams, slim. This is an amazing sports book!

The Last Shot, soon available in audio, is originally a book released in the 90s which follows the lives of 4 great basketball players from Coney Island, as they live there lives, and hope to be recruited to play Division 1 basketball in College. Although it dragged a bit in the middle, I found it interesting overall.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I received a free ebook from Netgalley in return for anbiased review. I had not heard of this book. I really like biographies and non fiction. I am not a big sports person. I like accounts of people in sports lives.

I liked the voice of the narrator. It is an engaging voice. The book and story is complex. I didn't know how the players lives would turn out. I was rooting for their success.

It took me longer than usual to finish the audiobook. The book was engaging. I lost some interest in the book halfway through. I was interested in the players lives. I wasn't compelled to know what happens next.

The story of the players is an older book. The beginning of the book is current. I do wonder, if much has changed in the athletes lives today. Has the world changed much, for the average high school athlete?

Thank you for the opportunity to read this important book. Not only is it a book on sports. I believe it is, also, a commentary on society in many poor people's lives.

The Last Shot was originally published in 1994 and follows 4 African American students from Coney Island, New York as they play high school basketball and attempt to be recruited by Division 1 colleges.

The author immersed himself in the life of 4 high school potential recruits - accompanying them to college recruitment visits until the NCAA limited his access. As I listened I was struck with how heartbreaking some people's realities are and the ways that the recruitment process is not set up to favor the athletes. Though some things have changed since the initial publication in 1994, the power differential in the recruitment process remains the same.

As the author talked about the 4 boys it was impossible not to become so invested in their outcome, to hope that they would defy the odds and escape the community to success. Despite this hope, it was clear from the prologue that everyone would not meet with success. Even though I had expected disappointment I was unprepared for the depth of my emotional reaction when the author discussed what had become of the 4 boys he focused on. As a sports fan, I immediately recognized one of the names so I knew that at least 1 of them had been successful but had no idea what had become of the other 3.

Despite it being 30 years since the original publication of this story the themes covered continue to be relevant in present day society. Overall, The Last Shot is an emotional glimpse into the lives of children living in poverty and with hopes of sports being their ticket to a better life. I am very glad I listened to this deeply moving story.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Review of “The Last Shot: City Streets, Basketball Dreams”

By: Darcy Frey

Audio Available June 18/2024

Check it Out on Goodreads!!

Disclaimer: Please note that I received an Audio ARC from NetGalley and Spiegel & Grau, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

⭐⭐⭐☆☆

“The Last Shot: City Streets, Basketball Dreams” by Darcy Frey dives deep into the lives of inner-city kids chasing their basketball dreams in Coney Island. It’s a real eye-opener.

This book doesn’t sugarcoat their struggles with everything that comes with growing up in tough neighborhoods. But he also shows their fierce determination to make something of themselves through basketball.

Frey’s writing paints a vivid picture of Coney Island’s basketball scene, with all its highs and lows. You can practically feel the energy on the court and the weight of the challenges off it.

What’s cool is that Frey doesn’t just focus on one guy’s story. He weaves together the lives of several players, showing how they’re all connected in this shared pursuit of hoop dreams. It’s real and raw, and you can’t help but root for these kids. It was also incredibly revealing to see the problems surrounding NCAA recruiting.

“The Last Shot” is a powerful and thought-provoking read. It’s a window into a world that many of us don’t see. Definitely worth checking out.

Get it at…

📗 - Hard Copy -📗

Your Local Canadian Book Seller

Indigo

Amazon Canada

📱 - Digital - 📱

Kobo - Free with Kobo Plus

Kindle

🎧 - Audio - 🎧

Audible - Available June 18, 2024

Libro.FM - Available June 18, 2024