Asmaa I I itibaren Gandara Town Proper, Samar, Philippines itibaren Gandara Town Proper, Samar, Philippines

I think of this as Hoop Dreams in book form - intriguing, exploitative (coaches and parents particularly), sad and sometimes hopeful. Youth basketball is such a business driven by men who are willing to use talented children as a means to an end. I get that other endeavors and sports can do the same, but to see how much coaches can influence these kids and how absent their own parents are in many cases just makes me shake my head and wonder if the machine will ever stop spinning.