NBA draftees may struggle to shed difficult pasts

+ new currency to challenge dollar's dominance US Edition - Today's top story: For some NBA draftees who overcame adversity, making the transition to fame and fortune is no slam dunk [View in browser]( US Edition | 22 June 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [Anti-LGBTQ+ legislation has become a political tactic around the world]( - [When a president’s family becomes a burden]( - [How will AI affect worker productivity?]( Lead story When I watch tonight’s NBA draft, it will be about more than which teams select which players in their quest for basketball glory. As an education writer, I’m also interested in learning about the players’ backstories: the struggles and sacrifices the players and their families made just for them to become one of the chosen few. Truth be told, I don’t think I’ve ever watched an NBA draft without shedding a tear or two, especially when I learn about players who overcame trying and traumatic childhoods. Robert Book is a scholar who studies the adverse experiences of aspiring basketball players. Usually his research explores the struggles the players face while they’re still in high school or college. But in one of his most recent studies, he focused on the obstacles that some rookies encounter as they transition into their newfound fame and fortune. As several former NBA players, coaches and others told Book, [it isn’t easy for some rookies to break free from negative forces that can derail their careers](. [[Short on time? One email a week. No uninformed hot takes. Just news from well-informed experts.](] Jamaal Abdul-Alim Education Editor NBA rookies must navigate their way over a series of pitfalls. Credit: Jon Enoch Photography Ltd via Getty Images [For some NBA draftees who overcame adversity, making the transition to fame and fortune is no slam dunk]( Rob Book, University of Southern Denmark With newfound fame and fortune, NBA rookies who come from poverty face a bevy of challenges that threaten to derail their success. Ethics + Religion - [US talks sanctions against Uganda after a harsh anti-gay law – but criminalizing same-sex activities has become a political tactic globally]( Nicolette Manglos-Weber, Boston University A scholar of politics and religion explains how anti-LGBTQ laws are being used to distract the public from governance failures in many parts of the world. Politics + Society - [Hunter Biden is expected to plead guilty to tax and gun charges – continuing a long presidential legacy of colorful relatives]( Shannon Bow O'Brien, The University of Texas at Austin Presidents have family drama, like all other people. 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