How is Josh influenced by basketball in the overall text?

Part of growing up is learning who you are, and Josh is faced with determining what kind of identity he wants to shape for himself. He's clearly a talented basketball player but a little arrogant. He values family tremendously and does not like any change in their dynamic. In fact, he does not particularly care for change at all, enjoying the status quo in which he is generally happy and successful. As the changes to his relationships come whether he likes it or not, he is confronted with aspects of his identity that he is not quite so comfortable with: his jealousy, his resentment, and his bursts of anger. Alexander shows that if we undertake the challenge, we can understand why we are the way we are and how to work at bettering parts of ourselves that are not ideal.