Head Fake

by Scott Gordon

𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐏𝐄𝐍/𝐇𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 Kirkus Reviews' 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

“Head Fake is about how laughter can save us." —𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬 𝐑𝐨𝐜𝐤, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧, 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫
“An absorbing, uplifting tale of finding light and self-worth in adversity’s darkest depths.” —𝐊𝐢𝐫𝐤𝐮𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐬 (𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰)

Mikey makes everything a joke, even the clinical depression he’s struggled with for years. After a run of failed jobs, he becomes the unlikely basketball coach at a high school for high-risk offenders who are experiencing mental illness. The position becomes suddenly available after the team tried to strangle their last coach.

Every instinct tells Mikey to get as far away from this school as possible. Coaching these kids, who have been arrested for who-knows-what, would be difficult for a normie. For Mikey, it could cause another breakdown and force him right back to living on the street. But he knows that if he has any chance to make his twenty-sixth birthday, he needs to keep this job, even if the school board wants him fired, and the students would rather fight each other than play ball.

This poignant, hilarious, and sometimes uncomfortable novel proves that even the most damaged of us can emerge victorious.

Genres: Fiction, Humor, Audiobook, Sports, Amazon

332 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 15, 2024

About the author

Scott Gordon’s fiction has appeared in the Green Hills Literary Lantern (GHLL), Modern Times Magazine, Pennsylvania Literary Journal, The Satirist, and Mobius Magazine. In addition to writing fiction, he has written and directed films and television series, including A History of Black Achievement in America, Great American Authors, and more. Scott spent years working as a Youth Advocate for juvenile offenders with mental illness. Head Fake is inspired by the strength and courage of the kids he worked with. Originally from New Jersey, Scott lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Samantha, and their two rescue pups, Mel Brooks and Khaleesi Bee.

Reviews

[Roz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoughtful and insightful journey of a young man who struggles with his own demons yet desperately wants to help others. The author take us into the minds of those whose behaviors seem irrational and bizarre and helps us see and understand the nuances of mental illness in a way that fills our hearts with compassion and has us cheering for the team like we know them intimately. Beautifully written, incredibly insightful and deeply inspiring.

[Justine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh, this book caught me by surprise and was mind blowingly amazing! Mikey Cannon was a fellow, down on his luck, previously homeless and trying to get his life back together, most recently moving in with his dad. His dad and him have a tumultuous relationship, but his dad still is able to get his son a chance at a job as a bus driver with an alternative high-school, a place for students who struggle with mental illness. While just barely being granted the job another opportunity falls into his lap, as the current basketball coach at Mary Friedman Alteranituve School has his life threatened by an unruly student. Without any other options, Mikey is offered a chance to work with these troubled kids and embarks on a rigorous journey as a basketball coach, with 0 experience coaching but lots of experience with basketball, and also, with dealing with depression and other issues. The relationship he develops with these kids is truly incredible. A chance of hope is given, teamwork and strength are also strongly developed. I was so addicted to this story and enjoyed every bit. It was a bit cynical at times but still witty and funny and a little deadpan humor thrown in the mix. This was very different, inspirational for those down on their luck and overall hopeful for a promising tomorrow.

[Catherine Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting and heart wrenching at the same time

Troubled and defeated young people who learn to love themselves and trust each other other. Families healing. Mental health issues honestly described. I couldn’t help wanting to hug each one of them, including Dr T and both coaches!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know much about basketball, but this is about more than the sport. It's about how a group of kids with mental illness become a real team. I did have trouble remembering who was who. Mental illness is difficult - for the people with it and those who love them. Gordon did a great job of realistically showing that. Mikey's dad was such an asshole, though; I couldn't stand him!

Thank you to Goodreads and Maxwell Street Books for the giveaway.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the feels

This book will break your heart then put it back together. Didn’t think I’d love it- I’m not a huge sports girlie- but it’s not a sports book really- portraying mental health struggles in a way that’s somehow relatable and real.

[Nicole Means · Rating 2 out of 5]

After reading all the rave reviews for "Head Fake," I was expecting an amazing, inspiring story, but I was disappointed after the first 50 pages. As a teacher, Mikey's unhinged behavior--punching a minor's car, talking against parents with students, and putting a kid in a chokehold--left me uneasy. (not to mention--did Mikey even have the appropriate license to drive a bus? In the real world, no one can just start driving a bus one day!!). The author tries to make him seem like this “cool” advocate for his players, but his lack of boundaries was a big red flag. The players’ stories were heartwrenching, but the idea that Mikey could just show up and fix everything was so farfetched, even for fiction! He made risky choices, crossed so many lines, and even managed to convince the school psychiatrist that his outbursts were somehow good for the team. I love books about advocating for the underdog, but this book is more of a delusion because this behavior ended up on the news or in litigation and would definitely not fly in real life.

[Carolyn Deboer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very touching and engaging story. It reminded me a lot of Wally Lamb’s book, “I know this much is true” in its tenderness and compassion. The over arching theme to me is when you think you’re helping someone else, you might be really helping yours self through some tough times. I love how this random collection of troubled teens came together as a team and if it weren’t fiction, I’d believe they stayed friends forever. The ending was perhaps kinder and more forgiving than real life be we can all aspire to being better, more emotionally generous and forgiving.

[Pamela K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic!

I could not put this book down! Full of tears and laughter and lessons in never giving up! This would make a great movie! Read this book!!!

[Briana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have no memory of how this book ended up on my Kindle. It's a KU book, but I don't know why I downloaded it. But when I was looking for a book to read while I waited for my next Libby loan to come through, I sawthis on my Kindle and was intrigued.

This is a very raw, emotional, heartwrenching, but ultimately very funny book. It literally made me laugh out loud at some times and cry at others. Sometimes things did seem a little over the top. I'm not knowledgeable enough about most of the kids' diagnoses to know if the depictions were accurate or not. I AM knowledgeable enough about the education system to know many of Mikey's antics would definitely not fly. I also didn't love how unsupportive almost every parent was, especially Mikey's dad, but unfortunately I think that does have a touch of realism.

The characters were all very loveable and it's impossible not to root for them. And the ending of the book was perfect, if maybe a BIT too cheesy. I honestly wouldn't change a thing.

This book is SUPER under the radar with less than 1000 ratings here on Goodreads. It deserves way more attention!

[Loretta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mikey finds himself working at a school for "unstable" high schoolers. As someone who has his own struggles he begins to be someone the kids look up to as he falls into the basketball coach position and works with very dysfunctional kids to form a team. Mikey's relationship with his dad is a key factor in this book. It was a really interesting look at kids who have emotional struggles and carry labels. Although a lot of the book could be true in the stories surrounding the kids I don't think the book is always realistic but it made for a really good read. I hardly ever give 5 stars but this book moved me and will stay with me. Once I really got into it I found it hard to put down.

[Art the Turtle of Amazing Girth · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.44

Fabulous!!
Deeeeeep!

A GR giveaway that I'm thrilled I won

[Rich Maybaum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read! Pretty authentic without getting syrupy or schmaltzy. The writer brought the story home very well. Great characters, great story, and great finish.

[Emmalee Clift · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book totally took me by surprise. It was heart wrenching and utterly beautiful all at the same time. I have a feeling I’ll be thinking about this book for awhile! The characters all held so much realistic depth and I just wanted to cry for all of them. The ending was great and I really just loved this book! I’m so glad I read it.

[Country Mama · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love stories of underdogs or outcasts and this was a great one! I think Mikey Cannon is an excellent character for this book. He is humorous and also a relatable character to everyone who reads it. He moved around from quite a few jobs and then stumbled into the new one driving a bus for an alternative high school for troubled kids. Mikey has ADHD and he is worried about how his new job will do his job.
He eventually becomes the coach of the high school basketball team. The characters are well written and realistic for the readers. I was really cheering Mikey on during the book while I was reading as I wanted their team to win and also Mikey to keep his found family and keep his job.
I highly recommend this one for fans of the underdogs or losers in society!

[Mary Curtis]

The BEST book I’ve read all year. Scott Gordon’s debut album tells the story of a previously homeless, down on his luck, 25 year old named Mikey with major depressive disorder. After a series of unlikely events, Mikey ends up coaching a basketball team of mentally ill juvenile offenders at the Mary Friedman Alternative School. Mikey leads the team through a heart wrenching and hilarious season that culminates with a showdown against the high school team that his father coaches. Gordon’s portrayal of mental illness is eye opening and inspiring at the same time. He leans into humor to tell the story through Mikey’s eyes and the result is genius. This is truly one of those books that changes one’s perspective on life and I cannot recommend it enough!!! 🏀🧠❤️

[Kailyn McDearmid · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s like School of Rock but instead of private school kids—it’s an alternative school and instead of music—it’s basketball. Humor, heavy and raw backstories, silver-lined with a happy ending.

I’d love to see this as a movie. 🫶🏼🏀

[Joan Wendt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t miss this gem! I was in the stands cheering the team every step of the way!
Please write a sequel!

[Hobart · Rating 4 out of 5]

★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader. If you like this post, you might like others on that site. Consider checking it out!
---
WHAT'S HEAD FAKE ABOUT?
Mikey has been unhoused a lot recently, but is currently staying with his father to recover from a sickness. If he can keep a job for a while, he can stay with him. His dad has a connection that can get Mikey a job at a school for high-risk offenders with mental illnesses as a bus driver.

It's not much, but it's something.

Then, due to a fun set of circumstances, he's put in the job of coaching the team's small basketball team.

Oh, I should probably mention that Mikey's dad is a couple of months away from becoming the winningest High School basketball coach in the U.S., and despite the tortured relationship between the two, Mikey learned a lot from him.

Mikey needs to get the trust of his team (and the school's administration), fight through his own mental illness struggles, and keep his father from tossing him out. That should be no problem at all, right?

WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE NARRATION?
I have no notes. Mondelli got everything from Mikey's attitude, the students, his father, and everyone else just right.

WHY DID I PICK THIS UP? WHY DID I KEEP READING?
I honestly don’t remember how I came across this book. But I put it on a list at some point, and eventually got around to picking it up.

I stuck with it because I liked Mikey—his voice and him as a person. He got his hooks in me right away and wouldn’t let go. I really just had to find out what happened to him—the more I got to know the students, the more I got invested. (just the way a reader is supposed to)

WHAT DOES THIS BOOK TELL US ABOUT HUMANITY?
This is a book about broken people helping other broken people (and, in some cases, hurting broken people). While there are some similarities in the problems each character has faced and is facing, it’s not the commonalities that connect them—it’s that they’ve faced a problem and are still trying, however weakly.

Also, a love for basketball.

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT HEAD FAKE?
While set in a high school, this is not a YA book. But it is YA-friendly.

This book is really a mash-up of two sure-fire feel-good stories. First, you’ve got an underdog sports team battling just to be taken seriously—and it ends up winning a lot. Gordon nails this part. Granted, it’s hard to mess that kind of story up—but there’s something so satisfying when it’s done right.

The other part of the mash-up is the outsider connecting with students in an inspirational way. Think Lean on Me or Sister Act 2 (more of the latter than the former). Granted, a bus driver isn’t much of an authority figure—but that’s where the coach part comes in.

You combine the two with some strong character growth from one of the underest underdog characters I can think of, some dumb humor, and a metric ton of earnest goodwill, and you’ve got yourself a wholly pleasant book that I can't imagine a reader/listener wouldn't be charmed by.

[READER VIEWS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mikey Cannon laughs in the face of adversity. Perhaps not the best coping mechanism, but it hasn’t gotten him killed so far. He is going to need his sense of humor if he wants to survive his new job as a basketball coach for violent youth with mental illness. It was surprisingly easy to land the gig since the last coach resigned when the students tried attacking him.

Mikey hasn’t had the best of luck. He’s been on and off the streets, battling untreated ADHD and bouts of depression. After his militant father allows Mikey to come back home, so long as he keeps the job, Mikey is determined not to screw it up. But between his father’s cruel jabs and the challenge of coaching violent, mentally unwell teens, Mikey’s confidence in himself is wavering.

Can Mikey whip this crew of unlikely basketball players into shape and keep himself off the street? Read and find out!

“Head Fake” by Scott Gordon is raw, emotionally driven, and hilariously uplifting. Gordon sheds light on mental illness like you’ve never seen before. Life can be challenging at the best of times, but throw in grief, financial insecurity, and navigating poor mental health, and it can feel impossible. Mikey jumps into the uncharted waters of coaching unprepared and ill-equipped to deal with the seriousness of these kids’ heartbreaking realities, but as he breaks through those barriers, he realizes that he needs these kids just as much as they need him.

The novel’s greatest strength is its rich character development. Gordon effortlessly weaves in relevant backstories, focusing on each student—Otis, Gonzalo, Toby, Brian, and Chey. This allows the reader to become quickly invested. Moreover, we see how these teens evolve throughout the year. They are undeniably troubled, but all have their unique quirks that make them both lovable and relatable. Playing as a team, while shaky at first, seems to bring out the best in the students of Mary Friedman Alternative School. Mikey’s unconventional leadership tactics show them how to harness qualities like anger and aggression and use them to their advantage on the court. Everybody loves a comeback story; these students (and Mikey!) will not disappoint!

If you love gritty, emotional novels that have you rooting for the underdog, you don’t want to miss out on Scott Gordon’s “Head Fake.” The author deftly explores themes such as coming-of-age, belonging, and resilience while highlighting mental illness. This is the type of book that inspires you to rise above adversity and believe in yourself. I look forward to reading more by this author!

[Carole O'Neill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of Head Fake by Scott Gordon:

As I began reading Head Fake, I wasn’t sure it was something I would finish. After all, mentally ill teenagers centered around the game of basketball was everything I would avoid choosing when I decided to read a new author.
My surprise was the way Scott Gordon used humor on nearly every page to enhance Mikey’s interaction against the antics of the high-risk offenders he was about to coach. The more difficult challenge was to make sure Mikey’s own clinical depression didn’t become the reason for a failed experiment.
By the second chapter, I had forgotten about the sport of basketball and raced through the pages to find out how each of these disturbed students would be saved. The violent offenders and outcasts battled with bipolar disorder and street violence to arrive each day to train with a coach they believed would get them a win.
Halfway through the book, I found myself cheering for the team and their impossible hurdles toward a goal no one thought could be reached.
I LOVED THIS BOOK!

[Mary M.Nabers · Rating 5 out of 5]

All You Need Is Love

To sir with Love, Welcome Back, Kotter, Head Fake, we all love teen redemption. Head Fake, however, adds a twist: The teens are in a school for psychiatric treatment.
The narrator, Mickey, inadvertently becomes their basketball coach as well as bus driver. From there it is only a step to becoming their unofficial counselor, for which post he is uniquely qualified, having survived several bouts of psychiatric treatment himself. He knows their fears,
Basketball turns out to be a way to build togetherness and love for both members of the team and Mickey. A side story is Mickey’s conflict with his father, a renowned basketball coach who wants Mickey to “get tough.”
Head Fake is thoroughly entertaining with fun characters, who reveal a variety of psychological problems as they learn not only basketball skills but also coping skills and trust, as does Mickey too.

[Ashley Fumiko · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was literally the best book I’ve read in years and am desperate for a movie adaptation! It’s the story of how the love of basketball can heal and build community even in the most unlikely of team mates.

Mickey suffers from a host of issues and his father makes it clear that if he can’t land a job, he will find himself again unhoused. Desperate to not return to life on Skid Row, Mickey finds himself the bus driver at an alternative high school for violent students living with a range of mental health diagnosis. When he finds himself defending the students from their abusive basketball coach, he is thrust into the unwanted position of coach, all while his father, the most decorated high school coach in history, reminds him of his many failures. Will Mickey find a way to not get fired and keep his promises to these kids? 5/5.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! Trouble coach with troubled team......this book shattered that cliche. The characters were so skillfully crafted that I couldn't stop reading. I laughed, and at times, swallowed a tearful lump in my throat. Getting to know the kids by reading their school assignments was a genius literary device. Thank you, Scott Gordon, for providing such glorious hope to your readers through kindness and compassion, and for showing that people too easily dismissed are real and worthy of our time.

I gratefully won this book from Goodreads, but the opinions are my own.

[Emily Day]

Mental Health Underdog Story

Bringing laughter and tears in equal spades this novel insightfully enables the reader to feel the struggles of a coach and multiple youth with mental health issues who fight (both figuratively and literally) to rise above their personal struggles. Compassion builds as you learn each player's story as they confide in their coach and in each other. As a team they shed the "retard" stigma and embrace hope. The best book I've read this year, and one I will recommend to all my friends.

[Susan Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Head Fake

This is one book everyone should read.
A man with his own mental health issues gets a job driving a bus to a school for juveniles with mental issues.
Waiting for basketball practice to end he witnesses their coach calling them pathetic losers resulting in a player decking the coach.
Thus starts Mikey’s new job as Coach.
Gradually he forms them into a team building their confidence as he goes whilst trying to keep his own Father’s constant put downs at bay.
As you read you will wonder if the kids are the problem or the so called adults in their lives.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t generally rate a book quite this high. This one stood out as an excellent depiction of mental illness of various forms, no condescension, just indicating what individuals are dealing with in their daily lives. It humanizes their conditions and their struggles, while making you root for their combined success in this basketball driven book that almost reads as a memoir. Well done, Scott Gordon!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Give it a chance-I was a little unsure in the beginning and I’m so glad I stuck with it.

Mental health is no joke but you’ll love the laughter the book sparks as you read about real mental health struggles, achievements and wins. I think everyone will find a little bit of themselves somewhere in the pages. Is there a normal? We’re all out there fighting our demons-some have more than others but the feelings are real to everyone.

[Gammamaggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a a surprise and uplifting read. The multiple “voices” were a little distracting but otherwise a feel good read. I would recommend it. Some knowledge of basketball will help. Sort of sorry re how some of the parents were less than supportive or feeling. For their children. But maybe in real life maybe that’s the way it is. Some parents could well be so stressed by life’s events. Qi could have done without the hint of romance.

[Lynda Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why did I obsessively read this book start to finish in two days? Maybe because it had a high school basketball theme, maybe because it featured a cast of very human, very messy, very flawed characters, maybe because many of those characters discovered that in helping and trusting others, they came to help themselves?

It was probably because when I finished it last night at 11:35 a.m. a satisfied smile appeared on my face. I turned out my bedside lamp and had one of the most restful night I’ve had in a long time! 5 stars, yes!

[Krista Hussey · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I’ve read in a while! The author captured what it is like for those struggling with mental illness - how daily functioning can seem out of reach, how the ignorance of others adds to frustration and shame, and how the road to wellness is not linear. The book also highlights the importance of hope and the sense of belonging. LOVED THIS STORY!