The Basketball Diaries - Definition and Overview

The Basketball Diaries is a 1978 book written by American author Jim Carroll, in which he chronicles the decline of a promising young, white basketball player in New York City in the 1960s. Heroin use makes him seem like a "cool guy" to other users, but his euphoric states during basketball games makes him miss baskets, points, and games, and eventually he is forced off the team.

The book was later made into a film starring Leonardo DiCaprio.