From the very first poem, “Dribbling,” readers see how playful Josh’s voice can be through the placement of words on the page. Reading the poem is like watching a basketball game—fluid movements, quick changes, and excitement.

In “Josh Bell,” Josh’s confidence as a basketball player is also evident: “Josh Bell / is my name. / But Filthy McNasty is my claim to fame. / Folks call me that / ‘cause my game’s acclaimed, / so downright dirty, it’ll put you to shame” (4).

In “How I Got My Nickname,” readers learn that Josh’s nickname is given to him by his father, Chuck, whose love of jazz music, particularly Horace Silver’s Paris Blues album on which there is a track entitled “Filthy McNasty.” Josh is quick to point out to his dad that his coolness comes across as dated while Chuck closely aligns his appreciation of jazz music to his appreciation of his sons’ movements on the court.

In “At First,” Josh does not appreciate the nickname because everyone makes fun of him, even his mom. But as his game improves, Josh’s affection for his nickname grows: “And even though I wasn’t into / all that jazz, / every time I’d score, / rebound, / or steal a ball, / Dad would jump up / smiling and screamin’, / That’s my boy out there.