Up close and personal - a writer in the fascinating world of professional basketball. Thomas Pletzinger, one of the most exciting young German-speaking authors, returns to a world where he once felt at home: the locker room, the arena, the team bus - the world of basketball. As a junior player, he was on the brink of a professional career, and now he has spent a season as a participant observer with the professional team of Alba Berlin. Pletzinger writes about the magic of the game, its aesthetics and culture, the joy and euphoria of success, but also about disappointing losses, the pain of training, and the monotony of travel - and time and again, he reflects on himself and his passion for this sport.