The life of Russell Thomas allows almost none of the mistakes that a normal teenager might make, forcing him to develop great dedication and sacrifice many of his activities preferred to increase your chances of receiving an athletic scholarship. Throughout Darcy Frey's "The Last Shot," Russell grows from a nervous and inattentive urban teenager to a mature young man with a realistic plan to surpass his required combined SAT score of 700 while continuing to improve his athletic performance on the basketball court. He gains awareness and confidence by realizing that his previous refusal to participate in summer basketball tournaments had hampered his public visibility with college coaches, and by joining two prestigious tournaments where he showcases his great talents over the next summer. Russell demonstrates dedication and maturity when he begins carrying around vocabulary flashcards so he can study for his SATs as often as he needs to. Russell also demonstrates responsibility and self-control by resisting the urge to become a product of his environment, selling narcotics for money or protecting those who do, as many of his former friends have done. resorted to. Russell Thomas' maturity in "The Last Shot" is the primary factor in his academic and athletic progress toward a four-year athletic scholarship. In the world of college recruiting, a player's reputation among college coaches can never advance without the chance to showcase their talents and potential in front of them. Russell is one of New York's most promising prospects, and has had this chance several times in the past, but has passed up tournaments in favor of his solitary practices on the basketball courts at the Garden in Coney Island. Russell begins to show his awareness ... middle of paper ... as well as gain exposure among college coaches, thanks to his new experience with summer basketball tournaments. He gains dedication and maturity and makes the decision to both devote as much time as possible to studying for school and the SATs, and to follow a rigorous training and exercise plan to improve his level of play in basketball. Russell also develops the responsibility and willpower necessary to avoid becoming involved in obstacles to his promising future such as violence, drug dealing or premature fatherhood, in the harsh environment of Coney Island. The values ​​and characteristics that Russell Thomas acquired as he grew into adulthood are the reason why, even though he could not take the direct path to college athletics, he took the high road to adulthood. Works Cited Frey, Darcy. The last shot: city streets, basketball dreams. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996. Print.