The Hoopster

The Hoopster introduces Andre Anderson, a promising Black teenager balancing basketball, a new relationship, and a coveted summer internship at Affairs magazine. His life takes a dramatic turn when his powerful, honest essay on racism makes him a target. Andre is brutally assaulted by a racist gang, leaving him and his loved ones grappling with the physical and emotional aftermath. This novel explores themes of racial injustice, violence, resilience, and the difficult journey of recovery, challenging Andre's self-identity and his beliefs about the world. It's a poignant story about finding strength in the face of adversity and the importance of standing up for what's right.

Andre Anderson has got it all together: work, play, and romance. As “the hoopster,” he rules the local pickup basketball court. His new girlfriend, Gwen, is as smart, good-looking, and ambitious as he is. And at Affairs magazine, where Andre works as a summer intern, his featured personal essay on racism has just made him a celebrity. As his boss says, Andre’s destiny awaits him to claim it. But the unflinching honesty of Andre’s work makes him the target of hateful racists, and triumph becomes tragedy when Andre is violently assaulted by a vicious gang. His family and friends withdraw into depression and unreachable silence, fearing he may never recover.