Historical
John Grisham

Sooley – John Grisham (2021)

1469 - Sooley - John Grisham (2021)_yt

Sooley by John Grisham, published in 2021, tells the compelling story of Samuel “Sooley” Sooleymon, a 17-year-old boy from South Sudan with a passion for basketball and dreams of making it to the NBA. Known for his legal thrillers, Grisham takes a turn into sports fiction with this emotionally rich and inspiring novel, exploring both the glory and cost of chasing greatness. The novel immerses readers in the world of college basketball while exposing the human toll of conflict in South Sudan.

Plot Summary

In the remote village of Lotta, tucked into the heart of war-torn South Sudan, a boy named Samuel Sooleymon grew up with a basketball in his hands and dreams far too large for the clay courts he played on. At seventeen, he stood six feet two, wiry and quick, with a vertical leap that left dust spinning behind him. His shot was crooked, his ball-handling erratic, but his heart beat with raw, untamed potential. When he was invited to try out for the South Sudanese national Under-18 team, the village erupted in joy. His neighbors brought pastries, sweet teas, and all their hopes. Samuel cautioned them – it was only a tryout – but the people had already decided. He was going to America.

In Juba, the capital, Samuel joined nineteen other boys under the watchful eye of Coach Ecko Lam, a South Sudanese exile who had returned from the U.S. to shape the country’s future through basketball. Samuel was awkward in the gym, missing shot after shot. Others, like the flashy Alek Garang, outshined him. But Ecko saw something deeper – an eagerness to learn, the hunger of a boy who would work for every inch. When the final cuts came, Samuel was the last name chosen. He would never know how close he had come to being sent home.

His return to Lotta brought another celebration, but joy turned to horror on the ride back when the bus was ambushed by armed bandits. Government soldiers on board fought them off, executing the attackers without remorse, even a boy no older than Samuel’s younger brother. The images of death and fire haunted him, but he spoke of none of it when he got home. Instead, he rose with the sun and shot hundreds of jumpers on the dirt court. He had two months to become the player he dreamed of.

When the team regrouped, Coach Lam noted Samuel had grown two inches. He was taller, leaner, but still the underdog. In Florida, the South Sudanese team was joined by five more players from the diaspora, including the towering Dak Marial, already committed to UCLA. The boys trained hard, but for many, it was their first time seeing shopping malls, movie theaters, and amusement parks. Despite distractions, they bonded as a team – fast, fearless, and unpolished – and stunned the American scouts with their athleticism and joy.

Samuel still struggled with his shot, but his relentless defense and boundless energy caught attention. Game by game, he found rhythm. Then, during the last seconds of a tightly contested match, with scouts lining the stands, Samuel caught a loose ball, rose above the arc, and drained the winning three-pointer. That single shot changed everything. Offers flooded in from colleges across the country. North Carolina Central University offered a full scholarship, and Sooley accepted.

In Durham, North Carolina, the transition was harsh. The academics were demanding, the competition even tougher, and the cultural gap felt like an ocean. Samuel redshirted his freshman year, spending hours in the gym under the eyes of Coach Lonnie Britt, who believed in building players from the ground up. Sooley practiced relentlessly, transforming his shot, polishing his handles, and learning the intricacies of college basketball.

Back home, the world unraveled. Samuel’s father, Ayak, was murdered by soldiers in a civil raid. His mother Beatrice, sister Angelina, and brothers James and Chol fled into the bush, eventually finding a refugee camp in Uganda. Samuel was helpless, thousands of miles away. He sent money, begged for updates, but communication was scarce and unreliable. The anguish seeped into every inch of his being, but he poured it all onto the court.

The next season, Sooley exploded. No longer the quiet reserve, he became the star of the team. With jaw-dropping speed, defensive tenacity, and a now-deadly jump shot, he led North Carolina Central on an improbable run. Game after game, he dazzled. Reporters praised him. Fans chanted his name. And with every win, the dreams of a village in South Sudan were lifted just a bit higher.

But tragedy does not heed success. As Samuel dominated on the court, his family’s plight worsened. Beatrice, weakened by disease and poor conditions in the camp, died without medical care. Her death broke something in Samuel, though he kept playing, kept smiling for the cameras. He had always dreamed of the NBA, but now he had only one purpose – to bring his brothers to America.

With the NCAA tournament behind him and agents circling, Sooley declared for the draft. The media swirled with buzz. Mock drafts placed him high. He was poised to sign endorsement deals and receive millions. He would finally have the power to change everything. But fate, cruel and sudden, intervened.

While visiting a friend’s home during a quiet offseason, Samuel accompanied two teammates to a party. It was late. The streets were dark. On the way home, a car sped through a red light and slammed into theirs. Samuel was thrown from the vehicle. He never woke up.

The basketball world mourned. His coach wept. His teammates, shattered, spoke of his spirit and drive. In South Sudan, news of his death spread like wildfire. A nation that had watched him rise from dirt courts to national headlines grieved as one. Tributes came from the NBA, from the very players Samuel had idolized.

At his funeral, his casket was draped with the South Sudanese flag. His brothers, finally granted passage to America through the intervention of coaches and donors, stood at the graveside, silent and wide-eyed. The young man who had dreamed of lifting them from poverty had given everything. His dream ended, but his legacy had just begun.

Samuel Sooleymon, the boy from Lotta who played until his feet bled and never stopped believing, had touched the world. He never reached the NBA, but he reached hearts far beyond the game.

Main Characters

  • Samuel “Sooley” Sooleymon – A determined, athletic teenager from the village of Lotta in South Sudan. Samuel is passionate about basketball and is invited to try out for South Sudan’s national U18 team. He is defined by his resilience, humility, and unwavering work ethic. Over the course of the story, he grows from a raw, unpolished talent into a disciplined, elite player, carrying the weight of his family’s hardship and his homeland’s turmoil on his shoulders.

  • Coach Ecko Lam – A former collegiate player who returns to his war-torn homeland to coach and develop basketball talent. He sees potential in Sooley despite his initial shortcomings and becomes a pivotal figure in shaping Samuel’s growth, not just as a player but as a person. Ecko is compassionate, driven, and deeply committed to using sports as a vehicle for transformation.

  • Beatrice Sooleymon – Samuel’s mother, the anchor of his family and a symbol of maternal strength and sacrifice. She remains in South Sudan, enduring unimaginable hardship when war strikes their village. Her fate has a profound impact on Samuel’s choices and emotional journey.

  • Alek Garang – A more polished and experienced point guard who initially overshadows Sooley. He is one of the top players on the U18 team and a benchmark of the level of skill Sooley must reach.

  • Frankie Moka – A scout and assistant coach in the U.S. who helps manage the team once it arrives in America. His experience and connections to the basketball world are instrumental in giving these young players exposure on a larger stage.

Theme

  • Dreams and Determination: The novel powerfully illustrates the theme of chasing a dream despite overwhelming odds. Samuel’s journey from a dusty village to a college basketball arena in America encapsulates the unrelenting pursuit of excellence and the belief in something greater.

  • Survival and Sacrifice: Grisham juxtaposes the thrill of competitive sports with the brutal realities of life in South Sudan. The story doesn’t shy away from depicting war, loss, and displacement, and it emphasizes what Sooley and his family endure just to survive. This stark contrast intensifies the emotional stakes.

  • Talent vs. Hard Work: While Samuel is not the most naturally talented player, his dedication and tireless practice set him apart. The novel argues that heart and effort often outweigh raw skill, making Sooley’s progress deeply satisfying and realistic.

  • Family and Responsibility: The burden Sooley carries isn’t just athletic; it’s familial. His desire to succeed is driven largely by a longing to lift his family out of poverty and danger. The theme of responsibility threads through the narrative, tying his success to deeper personal stakes.

  • Identity and Representation: Samuel and his teammates carry the pride of South Sudan with them. Grisham explores what it means to represent a fledgling nation on a global stage and the complexities of cultural identity in foreign environments.

Writing Style and Tone

John Grisham’s writing in Sooley is straightforward yet deeply evocative, marked by a strong sense of pacing and a keen attention to character development. He seamlessly blends vivid sports action with emotional introspection, alternating between fast-paced game sequences and more reflective, poignant passages. Grisham’s dialogue is realistic and accessible, capturing the voices of teenagers, coaches, and war survivors with equal credibility. His descriptions of both the basketball courts of America and the landscapes of South Sudan are cinematic, anchoring the reader firmly in both worlds.

The tone of Sooley is inspiring and tragic in equal measure. Grisham delivers moments of jubilation, particularly in scenes of athletic achievement and camaraderie, but these are consistently undercut by reminders of the harsh realities faced by Sooley’s family and homeland. The emotional arc swings from hopeful to devastating, never allowing the reader to forget the cost behind the dream. Grisham’s empathy for his characters is evident, lending the novel a heartfelt sincerity that makes it more than a typical sports story.

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