Wish I Was a Baller

By: Amar Shah

Published by Scholastic, Incorporated, 2025-08-05

<i>Wish I Was a Baller </i>is part <i>New Kid</i>, part <i>The Tryout</i>, and part <i>Dragon Hoops</i>!<p></p><p>Amar Shah has some story to tell! In 1995, he was a fourteen-year-old aspiring sports journalist (and basketball superfan) angling to get into an Orlando Magic team practice. He did, and it took him on the ride of his life!</p><p></p><p><i>Wish I Was a Baller</i> is a graphic memoir chronicling Amar's real-life experiences as a fourteen-year-old sports journalist covering the golden era of the NBA, when he befriended Shaq and hung out with Michael Jordan and the Bulls--all while surviving the high school, dealing with crushes, and friendships being tainted by jealousy.</p><p></p><p>"An inspiring story of friendship, family, and the swishes and misses of being a kid. Baller soars and scores!" -- Jerry Craft, author of the Newbery Award-winning New Kid</p>