Dragon Hoops

Paris and Ivan’s reluctance to talk about their personal lives frustrates Mr. Yang, who wonders if he can write the book without more of the details surrounding the Dragons’ two star players. If you were Mr. Yang, what questions would you want to ask these two players? How would knowing this information contribute to your appreciation of the team’s trajectory?

To what extent does Dragon Hoops have a narrative structure? What effect does this structure have on the reading experience?

Dragon Hoops is not told in the first person, although Mr. Yang is represented as a caricature. To what extent is Mr. Yang the character different from Gene Luen Yang, the writer? How can you distinguish between the opinions of the two?

In Chapter 5, Jeevin asks Mr. Yang to depict his caricature with a different hairstyle, and Yang shows three consecutive panels with alternating hairstyles until arriving at one with which Jeevin is satisfied. What is the effect of this metatextual moment? Does it detract from the authenticity of the book as a memoir to know that characters can see themselves depicted in Mr. Yang’s in-progress book, or does it enhance the authorial credibility?

Mr. Yang agonizes about whether to include Mike Phelps in his narrative. Moreover, the reader watches him as he contemplates the relative merits of each choice; however, the reader doesn’t fully know the reason for his conflict until Chapter 12. What is the effect of the authorial choice to withhold this information? Does the suspense confuse or engage the reader?

Jeevin says that he is not bothered by the taunting he endures, claiming that he remains “focused on the game” (321). Do you think this is true? If it is not true, why do you think Jeevin might not admit to his feelings? Is there evidence in the novel to support your answer?

Coach Lou claims to want Paris Austin off his team when he finds him up past curfew doing nothing more than “eating pizza and watching SportsCenter” (328). He admits that Paris reminds him of himself as a kid. As a result, he treats Paris harshly. Do you think that Coach Lou’s treatment of Paris is fair, or is it an overreaction? If the latter, is the overreaction justified, or might it be a form of latent racism on Lou’s part?

Mr. Yang admits that he wasn’t sure if he could tell the story of the Dragons unless they won. However, by the final championship game, he is convinced that he will tell the story regardless of the outcome. How might the story have been different if the Dragons lost?