Changes whether big or small, everyone goes through them at one point. Others however, go through such massive changes their whole attitude, and sometimes perspective on life alters. With struggling grades, Greg, A.K.A Slam, the egotistical Junior struggles to stay on the basketball team, while confronting personal issues. In Walter Dean Myers Slam! Greg (Slam) grows more mature by becoming a team player with the help from Mr. Goldstein, takes school seriously with help from Mtisha, and realizes everything in life isn’t perfect. A substantial role during Slams transformation occurred when he dropped his massive ego and became a team player. Slam started off thinking he was the greatest player to ever grace the game of basketball, and had …show more content…
When Slam transferred from Carver to Latimer he simply expected to be the starting guard on the team, although he hadn’t yet shown the type of attributes he could lead the team with(55). Slam first needed to prove he was starting material to coach Nipper. Also, Slam had been deceived by Ice, his best friend, and his drug dealings the entire story. Slam had always suspected Ice was into dealing, but Ice became sly and covered his tracks. When Slam found out, he felt well beyond betrayed. This debacle sparked a fight between the two and changed their friendship forever. Towards the start of the story Slam thought he could handle everything in life at once. With beyond failing grades Slam became forced to drop one of his extracurriculars, whether art or basketball. It wasn 't an easy choice for him seeming he had above average artistic skills, plus he proclaimed the teacher and the class itself “Calmed him,” but he concluded art would be the best to drop, thinking he could make it big in basketball. Life is imperfect, some are forced to overcome more obstacles than others, in Slams case he encountered many difficulties, but was often able to make the best of