No Slam Dunk

by Mike Lupica

Miguel Dinero wants to dominate on the court because he's heard his whole life that it's his destiny. The country's #1 pre-varsity recruit with a pre-written path all the way to the NBA, rendering everything else, such as school, secondary. He expects the ball in his hand at crunch time, expects the spotlight, expects to win.

Wes, on the other hand, NEEDS all of this. For him, success in basketball, becoming the player his dad told him to be before dad shipped out to serve in the military, is a mission. No one on the court takes the game as seriously as Wes.

Both kids, friends and friendly rivals for years, are ready to take over the team. The problem? There's only one ball.

Genres: Sports, Middle Grade, Basketball, Realistic Fiction, Childrens, Mental Health, Friendship

256 pages, Hardcover

First published November 6, 2018

About the author

Michael Lupica is an author and American newspaper columnist, best known for his provocative commentary on sports in the New York Daily News and his appearances on ESPN.

Reviews

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful

It’s a truly wonderful story about boys basketball. I’ve always loved these stories since I was a kid.

This one in particular taught good life lessons, that all books directed it teams should teach.

I recommend.

[Luke Cargo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yo it’s yo boi book was good! Ending was awesome. Everyone should read. Yeet!

[Eli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I've ever read!!!

[Kim Bahr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great message about teamwork!

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Teammates Wes and Dinero are both excellent basketball players, but while Wes is more of a team player, Dinero often forsakes the good of the team to allow his own skills to shine. Both boys have picked up their attitudes toward basketball from their fathers. While Dinero's dad is still very much involved with the game, however, Wes's father has come home from Afghanistan with PTSD and a drinking problem that has kept him away from his family, and by extension, away from the basketball court. As the basketball season gets underway, Wes tries to cope with the difficulties in his family life while also helping Dinero to become a better teammate.

This middle grade novel (of which I received an ARC - thank you, Penguin Young Readers!) is full of strong characters with believable and memorable personalities: Wes's high school librarian mom, his counselor, Mr. Correa, and his friend Emmanuel, as well as his and Dinero's dads, and Wes and Dinero themselves. The conflict between the two boys is more nuanced than those at the center of a lot of kids' sports novels, and I liked that neither Wes nor Dinero is really a villain in the story. They both have life lessons to learn, and basketball serves to help them work those out.

I will admit that a lot of the basketball terminology and plays went over my head, but I was still able to follow the general idea of what was going on. Lupica does a nice job of balancing basketball action with scenes that further the interpersonal relationships that drive the story. The rise and fall of the plot throughout the book feels very natural, and the two main conflicts in the story, between Wes and Dinero, and between Wes and his dad come together nicely as they each reach their conclusions.

I guess we're not supposed to like Mike Lupica anymore now because Shannon Hale doesn't like how he acts in public, but I judge books solely on their merits, and this is a good one. It would be a good choice for a reader who has loved Fred Bowen, but needs slightly more of a challenge. I also see some similarities to Chris Crutcher, who always uses sports to help his characters cope with difficulties in their personal lives.

This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.

[Adam Marino]

awesome book

[Luke Ball · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought the book was very good and I would recommend it to anybody who likes to read sports books. In the novel, the main character is Wes Davies. Wes recently moved to another school and basketball team, the Annapolis Hawks. He is a very good basketball player and led his last team to the championship against the Hawks' star player, Danilo "Dinero" Rey. Now he is on the Hawks with Dinero. They are the star players of the team. They start practicing a little bit and everything seems as if it will work out but there is a big problem, in the games, Dinero wants to do everything by himself and won't pass the ball. Wes has to try to get Dinero to pass the ball while trying to get his dad back. His dad, Michael Davies, was in the army and when he came back something was wrong with him and he stopped being around Wes and his mom and was basically hiding from them. Wes' team plays their first game and win, even though it was very close. Wes still hasn't got his dad to come back to them and he knows something is up but his dad will not say what it is. His dad does show up to Wes' house a couple times but not for a long time and usually when Wes' mom isn't around. Wes tries to get Dinero on his good side because they were not very good friends and they play games against each other. It starts off good but at the end they get in a fight and their relationship with each other got even worse. Wes was seeing his counselor Mr. Correa who was very nice to Wes and helped him calm down about his dad. Wes' team plays a couple games and after one of them his dad shows up and him and Wes' mom get in a little argument and then he leaves. The teams plays another game and then Mr. Correa and Wes go to his dad's apartment and Wes gets very upset when his dad doesn't answer even though Wes knows he's in there. Wes' team plays another game and they lose for the first time and Wes stands in awe as his dad stands up from the bleachers and screams at Dinero because he didn't pass Wes the ball when he was wide open and on fire and tried to win it himself and missed. After a while, Wes and his mom go to an old court that him and his dad used to play on and his dad was there. Wes tried to talk to him but he left as fast as he could. They won a couple more games and had only lost once. Wes was at his house when Dinero showed up asking if they could talk. They made new plays and bonded with each other which helped out their relationship together.
Somebody in Wes' dad's army group came over to Wes' house looking for his dad and told Wes and his mom what happened that made Wes' dad act like he was. He felt like he was the reason a soldier got killed but it wasn't actually his fault. Wes tried to talk to Dinero in their next game because he was being a ball hog again and started to realize that something was up with Dinero's dad and every time Dinero started being a ball hog, his dad was making faces and signals and stuff. In their next game, Dinero got taken out again and his dad started screaming at the coach. Wes' dad all of a sudden out of nowhere starts yelling at Dinero's dad and gets to him and convinces him to stop. They kept playing games and they were one game away from the championship. It was tied with around no time left. Dinero dribbled past his man and everybody thought he was going to shoot but at the last second he passed it to another one of the teams players and they made it. They were in the championship. Wes went to look for his dad who had promised to talk to them and found him coaching a team of little kids. He ended up going back to the house together and talked for a long time. They were in the championship and they ended up winning. In conclusion, Wes went from a new kid just wanting to play basketball and get his dad back, to the kid that was a leader on their team. He started off in a bad relationship with Dinero but they became friends and he got his dad back once and for all.

[Vincent Salerno · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hi, this is Vincent Salerno, a local newspaper reporter interviewing Wes, who is a character in No Slam Dunk by Mike Lupica after his basketball season. No Slam Dunk by Mike Lupica tells the story of Wes experiencing a lot in his life during his basketball season as a 7th-grade boy. Wes is a great basketball player who gets put on the same team as Dinero Rey who was once his rival when they were on opposing teams. Dinero does not like it that Wes is just as good as him, if not better and he displays this through his actions during the season. While having problems with Dinero, Wes also has at-home problems since his father has a drinking problem and is suffering from PTSD after returning home from Afghanistan as a Navy Seal. Wes has to use his support staff which includes his mom, guidance counselor Mr. Correa, and his friend Emanuel to work through this difficult point in his life.

Question 1. What was your first reaction when you learned you’d be playing with Dinero Rey who had been the star of an opposing team a year ago?
Answer-When I first learned I’d be playing with Dinero Rey I had a little bit of an idea of what I was getting myself into, but there was a lot more involved with playing with him then I thought. I remember when I played against him last year I did not like how he always wanted to be the center of attention and the best on the court. It seemed like he cared more about his own personal stats than being a team player and winning. This was something that I was against from a young age, due to my dad teaching me the most important thing is being a team player and making the people around you better. He often feels like a thorn in my side whenever I’m around him. I knew Dinero and I’s playstyles would likely not work well together from before the season began and I was correct.

Question 2. How much does basketball mean to you?
Answer-Basketball means so much to me, and at this point is my life. Basketball is what originally was the base of my relationship with my father. We bonded over the sport, we’d watch N.B.A, or college games, we’d shoot and do drills for hours, we’d analyze how I played after every game. Although I have not been able to do these things with him anymore, basketball is still part of me. My goals are to make nationals in travel basketball, to play AAU basketball, to play in college, and even maybe play past college at the professional level. Basketball has given me so many things. Besides building a relationship with my dad from the sport, I have made friends from playing. I have played with many amazing teammates who are now family to me at this point. I have stayed active and gotten exercise from basketball. I have also been taught life lessons from the sport. I have learned how to work hard in sports, school, and life through basketball. I’ve learned how to solve problems myself whether with teammates or coaches. Most importantly, I have learned how to be a good teammate and treat the people around me. Everything I have learned from basketball has helped me not only be a better athlete but a better person. Sometimes when it is just me and the ball it seems to talk to me and calm me down. The sport has given me so much and it means so much to me.

Question 3. How much of an impact did your dad suffering from P.T.S.D have on you and your life?
Answer-My dad suffering from P.T.S.D had a very heavy impact on me and completely changed my life. Before he went to Afghanistan he and I were very close. We would watch basketball and football games together, he’d always practice with me. He would always push me to work harder, get better, and be a team player. The thing was with him I never felt he was forcing me to push myself and work harder, he just made me want to be better. Once he came back from Afghanistan he was never around. He moved out and got his own apartment and I rarely saw him. He stopped coming to my games, stopped shooting with me, and when I did see him he was not himself at all. He did not want to see my mom, and would only stay with me for short periods of time. I never did see him drinking or when he was drunk, but I knew that the bar was the place he was often as opposed to being with me. My father’s struggles with P.T.S.D and alcoholism impacted my life very negatively.

Question 4. How important is your mom to you?
Answer-My mom is a very important person in my life. My mother is my world. She is who I live with and is always there for me. My mom understands me and my goals in life. I tell her almost everything. She does not know everything about basketball, but what she does understand is how important the game is to me. Through these past months, she has talked to me about the situation with my dad and brought me to him when I needed to see him. She has also helped with my problems with Dinero and made me be mature in both these situations. If I’m having a bad day, she’ll do something like make cookies or a meal that I like. Through all of these things my mom does, she is one of the most important people in my life.

Question 5. How important is your guidance counselor Mr. Correa to you?
Answer- Mr. Correa helps me with tons of things and is a very important trusted adult to me. He is my school’s guidance counselor and I meet with him often to talk about school, sports, and life. Mr. Correa is a young guy who also teaches English in my school. He loves to read and write similar to how I love to play basketball. He is a very relatable guy and talked to me whenever I needed to talk about my dad, Dinero, or anything else I needed to discuss with somebody. Mr. Correa used to play basketball too and is pretty good. I have played pickup games with him and some of his friends at the rec center. I love going to him because it is hard to talk about some things with my mom, sometimes you need an opinion from someone not involved in your situation and that is what is done for me in Mr. Correa’s office.

Question 6. Who is your best friend and why?
Answer-My best friend is definitely Emmanuel Pike. I go to school with him and he has been my teammate for a few years now as well. He’s the forward on our team and is a great passer. The reason he is my best friend is that he is another person who is always there for me. Emmanuel believes in me so much and always tells me I will be one of the most famous basketball players in the world. He seems to believe in me just as much as my dad does. He inspires me to work harder because I do not want to make a liar out of him. We often hang out and play basketball together. We also watch professional sports at my house. Another reason I like Emmanuel is that he doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. He is kind and respectful to everyone no matter who you are. Emmanuel is my best friend and is basically a brother to me.

Question 7. How would you describe yourself?
Answer-This is something that is hard for me to do since I am not good at talking about my feelings and things like this, but if I had to describe myself, I would consider myself hardworking, kind, and optimistic. I am a believer in hard work because that is something you can control. It is impossible to control your size or natural abilities, but there is no excuse in regards to how much you practice and how much you work. I try to outwork everyone and I want that to be shown in how I play. I would describe myself as kind because this is something I always try to be. No one is perfect and I know I am not always as kind as I should be, but I try to take into account everyone’s feelings before saying things. I tried to be as kind as possible with Dinero this season, even when he’d frustrate me I would still compliment him and be kind to him. Another quality I have is optimism. I always try to be optimistic no matter how bad a situation appears. When we were losing in games I would never give up and I’d look on the bright side. I also took an optimistic view with Dinero this season, trying to not be negative with him, and always thinking he could be a better teammate. Finally, I was always optimistic about my dad. I knew he could be himself again and no matter how different he seemed I always thought things could go back to normal with him. These three personality traits are evident in how I carry myself daily.

Question 8. What made you keep trying to help your dad and get him back into your life?
Answer-No matter how bad things look I always kept trying to get my dad back into my life full time. The reason I kept trying was that I could not give up on him after all he had done for me. My dad introduced me to the game of basketball and always helped me get better in the gym and in life. It was now my turn to help my dad get better in his struggle with P.T.S.D and to help him be the man he once was. My life, as well as my mom’s life, was not the same without my dad in our house and we needed him back in it. I always knew that my dad needed assistance to get better, and it had to be when he was ready to get better. I made sure I was there for my dad and accepting of him, and I’m glad I never gave up on him.

Question 9. What is your greatest strength and why? What is your greatest weakness and why? Answer-My greatest strength is without a doubt my work ethic. This is something that I take pride in and was given to me by both of my parents. My mom works as hard as she can in her job, doing activities she enjoys such as cooking and knitting, and as a mother. My dad worked very hard playing basketball when he was younger, and he put 200% effort into being a Navy Seal in order to keep his colleagues safe. I use my work ethic to do my best in sports, school, and in my relationships with other people. I will shoot for hours and the only thing that is heard is the bounce, bounce, swish of the ball My greatest weakness is my ability to talk about my feelings. This is something I have always struggled with going back to when I was younger and an adult would ask what is wrong or I’m alright. Even with adults that I trust like my mom or Mr. Correa, it is very difficult to tell them how I’m feeling when talking about things like my dad or struggling to work with Dinero. I think the reason I’m like this is because I’ve always kept things in and didn’t try talking about deep feelings from a young age. I am very proud of my work ethic, but I have to get better at discussing my feelings.

Question 10. What's one thing you could change if you could? (Could be a choice that you made, an aspect of your personality or appearance, a person you trusted/mistrusted)
Answer-If there was one thing I would change if I could it’d be for war to not exist and for the world to be at peace. There have been millions of people killed by war, and it affects everyone. People all over the world have to live in fear and soldiers that are very brave and fight for their countries are physically, mentally, and emotionally scarred if they even make it home safely. This is exactly what happened to my dad who suffered from P.T.S.D upon returning home from Afghanistan. If there was no war my dad would be who he was before he left, and so many people would get back family members they lost. War is an awful thing that impacts every person in the world.

Thank you Wes for doing this interview with me today. If you want to find out more about Wes’s experiences with adversity this basketball season and learn life lessons yourself read No Slam Dunk by Mike Lupica.

[Axel Mohr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wes loves to play basketball. He loves his family, and his great friends. But as everybody has it, life isn’t easy. For Wes, it’s harder then most people. Dinero, Wes’s basketball teammate, is taking to many close calls. He’s making too many flashy passes and taking contested shots while everyone else is wide open. All Dinero wants is the spotlight.
Wes not only has to deal with that, but has to deal with his dad too. Ever since his dad came back from Afghanistan as a Navy seal, he hasn’t been the same. Wes’s dad had a mysterious incident there. He won’t talk, he rarely comes to see Wes, and he has started drinking way too much. The only thing holding Wes together is basketball, his school counselor Mr. Correa, and his mom. The question is, will Dinero ever realizes he is holding the team back? And what really happened to Wes’s dad?
Mysterious, Strange, and at one point worrying, I would call No Slam Dunk probably one of my favorite Mike Lupica books. The intriguing mystery about Wes’s dad just gave me the thrills. It was a serious topic. This is no 4th grade Captain Underpants book or Magic Treehouse. It also makes you realize how good you have it. Wes has a hard tough life, something a lot of my friends don’t have.
I really liked it, but it still was no original. No Slam Dunk May have had a good plot, but not a great one. It really didn’t have any twist or sad realistic ending. A good book will have a happy/sad ending, not a happily ever after ending. It was too much like every other Mike Lupica book. The main character has a problem, that problem slowly gets better throughout the book, finally the problem gets fixed and the sports team wins the championship. That’s why I only give this book a 3 out of 5 stars.
This recommendation definitely goes to a younger audience. Probably around 9 to 12 years old. Kids would definitely find this as a fun sports book that’s not a hard read. As an adult, I think you would see right away what’s going to happen. Honestly though, if you’re around 10 years old and you like sports I would gladly recommend this book to you. If you’re a teenager or older you might as well just leave this book on the shelf.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd give this one a 3.5, and I know it will be popular with many middle grade readers. Honestly, Mike Lupica is one of the best sports storytellers ever. Not only do his books contain many action-packed sports scenes that attest to his familiarity with whatever sport in which his protagonists engage, but he presents them with dilemmas that many young athletes will face, some on the court and some off the court as in this book. Seventh grader Wes Davies is a starter for the Annapolis Hawks, a travel basketball team, and he's determined to be at the top of his game. He wants to be noticed by scouts, but he also hopes that his performance on the court will bring his father back to him. After all, it was his father who helped train and coach him into the player he is. But his dad is suffering from PTSD after his recent stint in Afghanistan as a Navy SEAL He seems disinterested in the sport or recovering, and is isolating himself and drinking. Although playing ball offers an outlet for his emotions, Wes particularly likes working on his game during practices. From the start of the season, he must contend with the ball-hogging and showboat ways of the team's point guard, Danilo (Dinero) Rey, who seems threatened by Wes and often doesn't pass him the ball at crucial game points. Wes has been taught to be a team player, but what exactly does that mean? Although I loved them, the characters of Coach Saunders, who didn't bend to pressure from Mr. Rey and Wes's advisor, Mr. Correa, might be a little too good to be true. I wonder if the coach would have been so willing to bench Dinero if the team had been losing. Still, despite these concerns, I was riveted throughout the entire time I was reading, hoping that everything would turn out okay for Wes and his father. For those over-involved sports parents, this book is something of a cautionary tale since both Wes and Dinero endure humiliating public scenes caused by their fathers.

[Aryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

No Slam Dunk by Mike Lupica is a well written novel, It is about 2 star basketball players that have never played on the same time and they have just played there first game together and they hate each other. I think this book was great because it shows the hardships and struggles these kids are going through during their basketball games, This book is quite similar to a book called The Crossover, I would recommend this book to anyone, and its a easy read.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wes, having been chosen to be on an elite basketball team is now on a team with another superstar, Dinero. Wes, using all the skills, attitude, and team-building practices his dad taught him, is conflicted when Dinero is all about himself and not the team. Wes struggles through it and his coach notices his sportsmanship.

But, what is troubling Wes equally or even more, is his dad’s indifference and alcoholism now that he has returned from Afghanistan a changed man. Something happened to the Navy Seal that clearly changed him from a patient, caring, devoted dad to a apathetic, uninvolved drunk. Wes and his mom are trying desperately to find out what happened and more importantly how they can help.

With PTSD and mental illness, it is sometimes up to the individual himself to climb out of the funk. Wes is hoping that his dad will snap out of it while his basketball days are surging to new heights. No Slam Dunk is full of extremely descriptive basketball plays and features some famous sports names, but the underlying story is weak. A good pick, though, for reluctant readers who are interested in basketball.

[Wade · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first Mike Lupica book and I enjoyed it. I love stories involving basketball and I figured this story would be a slam dunk of a novel. It had a lot of good themes in it like teamwork, family, PTSD, overbearing parents, etc. It also had great play-by-play descriptions of basketball games that I thought many middle readers would enjoy. Wes was a likable character, though I would say he seemed a little too perfect at times. But I did really enjoy the dynamic between him and his mother, as well as his quest for never giving up on his father and trying to be the best teammate he can in order to win a basketball game. I found many aspects to be believable (even if a lot of buzzer beaters!) and would definitely read another Mike Lupica book. I did think some things during the basketball games were odd, like not doing a tip-off to start the game (funny, since the cover has a tip-off) and having a shot clock for 12 year olds...but maybe seventh grade basketball has changed since I was a kid!

[Logan Lindloff · Rating 5 out of 5]

NO SLAM DUNK is by Mike Lupica, It is about a boy named Wes and the problems he occurs during his basketball season. Wes is one of those kids that is very unselfish and a very good team player, he is the definition of a team player. When basketball season starts Wes meets Dinero another one of the best players in town, but he doesn't play like Wes he likes to keep the ball himself and always is always showing off and looking for fame. WIll they become good teammates to each other or will they struggle to find a way to succeed.

I thought this was a very good book because it not only shows basketball it shows a bunch of problems Wes has to face. I felt like it was a very good book because of what is showed us and how to get through problems. Anyone who likes sports books I would say would like it. The author was trying to target middle school kids and show them even with a bunch of problems you can overcome them, it just takes time. It also opened a window I got to see what it was like in someone else's shoes, and what it was like for them to overcome these obstacles.

[Riley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was a battle because of competitiveness and courage to get better. My favorite line in the book is "My killer chocolate chip cookies are ready to be devoured by hungry young men in about two minutes." This line is important to me because it doesn't make the story sound to competitive but funny also. I think this book was okay but not the best. I predicted what would happen so it was quite boring. My favorite character was Dinero because he wants the spotlight. This book made me laugh because of the constant arguments by the teammates. I think people who play sports would enjoy this book because the books theme is about basketball but people who don't play sports most likely won't enjoy this book.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you @Penguinkids for providing #NoSlamDunk by @MikeLupica. Some of you may know that Mike Lupica is like the SJM of middle school boys. I cannot keep his books on my classroom shelves! So, when Penguin Kids asked me to review this book, I agreed - for my students.

Now, I don't love basketball, but this book is much more. The main character, Wes, struggles with a teammate and a father back from Afghanistan with PTSD. Wes's mother is currently running the school book fair! (Believe me, I didn't know until I started it!)

No Slam Dunk by Mike Lupica, which was just released, is perfect your young basketball lovers!

[RJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

No Slam Dunk is a book written by Mike Lupica. This is a book about a kid named Wes and he plays basketball. There are two conflicts in this book. First is winning the championship is going to be hard because the two main basketball players are vs. each other and there on the same team. They have to learn to work together and not play as a star player and as a team. The other conflict is how his dad is traumatized after the war and never spent time with him. That's also why he's not at his full potential in basketball. If you want to see if they resolve the conflicts you have to read the book to find out.

[J Olmsted · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like George Costanza, I have been reading Lupica a long time, though I guess I know him more for his work on the Sports Reporters. Decent enough read that brought back a lot of memories from my own sports fiction phase as a kid in 4th and 5th grade. He's a good writer of on-court action, does a solid job of capturing the mix of individual and team play that make basketball such a compelling game to watch.
I was intrigued by the plotline of Wes's father and his struggles to recover from his trauma. I'm surprised by how well Lupica handled this in the context of a book aimed at 9-12 year olds.

[Pranav]

No Slam Dunk provides a story about Wes and Dinero; two kids that's playing styles are much different than each other. Wes is a team player who always passes up the ball. Dinero, on the other hand is the opposite and wants to do everything by himself. Wes also faces the increasing dilemma of his dad living being without him. His dad is a war veteran and when he returned home from Afghanistan, he just wasn't right. Can Wes rebound on and off the court to find peace with his dad and Dinero, or will all go out of whack? Read on the find out...

[Ruth Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartwarming and timely read about seventh grader Wes who is struggling with a ball-hogging show-off on the basketball team he has just joined and with his mostly absent father, a Navy Seal just back from Afghanistan who is fighting PTSD with isolation and alcohol.

[Daniel Ortega · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a lot like the other book i had read The Crossover. Its also about basketball and I love basketball books. I recommend this book to whoever wants to play basketball or whoever want to read about basketball.

[Brooks Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book a ton it was hard to put down and it teaches good life lessons.

[Tyrous Conner 8A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

[Marci · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed watching the main characters grow and work together. I enjoyed the part of Wes’ dad learning to overcome PTSD

[Jawad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book i think everyone would enjoy reading it

[Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

It had a really rough start I could not understand what was going on. But in the last 20 pages it turned into a ok book.

[Jennifer Halbur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mike Lupica writes such great sports books that have a lot more to them than sports. I know my students are going to really like this one!

[Peter F]

No Slam Dunk by Mike Lupica is an incredibly good book about basketball. After Wes Davies' dad comes home from the Navy Seals, he changes for the worse. He starts drinking excessively, and wouldn't tell Wes and his mom what exactly happened while he was away. Meanwhile, Wes was just starting the 7th grade basketball season with his new “star” teammate, Dinero, and things weren't going very well between them, until it got worse. Wes invited Dinero to play basketball with him and things got heated, Wes calling him out for a bad play made Dinero mad. The season goes on without much changing, Wes’s dad still not better, Dinero and Wes not talking much. But as they go into the playoffs things get better, and ultimately life is good. Wes’s dad is back, they won the Championship, and everything is going well.

Mike Lupica is an amazing author, I’ve read several of his books, all great books. I really like the aspect of every single basketball game that is always a cliffhanger and interesting. Another good aspect about this book is that many of the events are relatable to some people, like when Wes and Dinero got into an argument, and Wes and Emmanuels friendship. You could really feel what Wes and his mom were trying to get their husband/father. I also really like that when Wes’s dad wasn’t home, Mr.Correa always had wise advice for Wes and was like a father figure. One more interesting event in this book is that Wes and Dinero both had troubles with their father, Wes’s dad away, and Dinero’s dad being too serious about basketball and yells at Dinero for mistakes, so they both connect in that way.

I would recommend this book to any student athlete, mostly basketball players, but anyone interested in sports in general. My favorite part of this book is when Wes’s dad finally turns the corner and comes back to Wes and Wes’s mom. It’s not a very hard read, so most kids can read this. The ending was a little bit abrupt, but everything resolves in the end. Another of my favorite parts is the championship game because it is very realistic and entertaining. I think many people can connect to this book. I rate this book 9/10, I hope many more people will read this.

[Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The balance of sportsmanship, selfishness, selflessness, and skill are rarely seen in today's game. Mike Lupica dives into the key to this balance and shows this through a kid named Wes Davies. A young, seventh-grade basketball player whose Dad had taught him everything he knew. He taught him this right balance and showed how having this key balance is the pathway to being a good basketball player. This book also showed someone with not so good of a balance. This kid was also a seventh grader named Danilo Rey, also known as “Dinero.” Who is more of a selfish player tries to be flashy and is often a ball hog. This book was an easy-to-read, fun book. There wasn’t too much abstract language and there weren’t too many abrupt turns of settings. The author also described how the characters felt vividly so it was easy to relate to these characters. However, this book wasn’t perfect and that’s why I gave it four stars instead of five. This is because in the games that Wes and Dinero were playing in, it was often easy to predict what was going to happen at the end of each one because each game ended similarly. Either Wes had an amazing clutch shot at the end, or Dinero threw up a bad shot and either made it or missed it.

Someone who might enjoy this book would be a middle school basketball player, just like Wes and his teammates. Or even a younger player. This book provides valuable basketball lessons that could help younger athletes separate themselves from others. It also teaches basics about the game and how to be a “team.” As someone ages, they might find this book less enjoyable due to some corny dialogue whereas a younger kid might find it more intriguing. Also, a more experienced, older basketball player probably might know a lot of the things the book discusses in terms of basketball. Regardless, the book still has multiple viable basketball lessons and if you are someone who wants to learn more about the game, I highly recommend this book.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀 No Slam Dunk by Mike Lupica is a sport realistic fiction published in 2018. I read books for all ages and genres because I’m a teacher. This book is well written and while Lupica uses basketball as the setting, so much more is going on in this book.

Seventh grader Wes Davies is the star of his basketball team until a new player, Dinero joins his team. Danilo aka Dinero is a showboated and struggles to share the ball, so Wes has that to worry about. But that isn’t Wes’s biggest problem.

Wes’s dad has recently returned from a tour in Afghanistan as a Navy Seal and isn’t quite himself.

I love that Lupica has the characters solve their problems in constructive ways. This is a beautiful story about love, acceptance, and learning to be a team with those in your circle. Ages 10 and up.