“Hoops” is a story about a group of teenagers that play street basketball. They do not have many opportunities until one day a man named Cal offers to coach them in a tournament that will give all the players exposure to scouts (basketball recruiters). “He Got Game,” on the other hand, is about a player who has too many opportunities. The story focuses on his struggle over whether he should go to college or straight to the NBA. Although there are differences in their opportunities that are available, there are some similarities these characters share as well.
Both of the main characters, in each story, are poor black kids that just graduated out of high school. Jesus is the main character from “He Got Game”, and Lonnie is the main character from “Hoops”. One thing they both had in common is that they both had a rough time during their childhood. They both had somebody missing from their family growing up. Lonnie’s father died when he was a very young boy, and Jesus lost his dad to prison. However, they both had someone to help push them harder to take their basketball skills to a great level. Cal is the character who helped Lonnie by coaching him and Jesus relied on memories of his fathers inspiration. I feel it is important that an athlete have someone to inspire them, so they don’t quit when they get frustrated.
Lonnie, from “Hoops,” was a very good basketball player, and Jesus from “He Got Game,” was streetwise and a good player also. They each caught an opportunity to rise above the rest in their games, and were recognized by colleges as prospects. They both had their share of trouble to get out of and were also tempted to take bribes, especially Jesus. Lonnie got caught up in his friend’s problems in the city life, and he struggled with money troubles and steeling. Also, in both books, their friends and family were always causing problems that the two would have to figure out the solutions for.
Both characters appear to be leaders, but I think if Lonnie and Jesus played against each other in life, it would probably be Lonnie that would come out on top, because of his strong personality and determination. Even though they were players that came from different circumstances, there are still many ways that Jesus and Lonnie were alike. Lonnie and Jesus had similar experiences growing up just as people like Michael Jordan or Mohammed Ali. The odds were against them, but they did not give up. They had leader qualities, and believed in themselves.
