For some students, a book about basketball might sound like an unlikely Common Reading. For Elon’s incoming class, however, poet and essayist Hanif Abdurraqib’s “There’s Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension” could offer a different path into conversations about identity, community and belonging, as freshman begin their college journey this semester. 

Associate Director of the Common Reading Paula Patch said the common reading is selected a year in advance because the process of reaching a decision and getting approval takes time. The book is a non-fiction essay collection and memoir framing Abdurraqib’s life in '90s Columbus, Ohio, that explores the tensions that come with success and the expectation of it. The book’s blurb described this time as a “golden era” for basketball, with legend LeBron James becoming Abbduraqib’s celebrity role model. 

Every spring, the committee chooses a book from a selection of around 20 books. The committee considers factors such as length, difficulty and cultural relevance, though Patch said that wasn’t her only consideration when choosing Abdurraqib’s book. 

“I like it when I learn something, but I really like it when it makes me feel something,” Patch said. “This book was a good ‘feel’ book.”

Patch said the committee considers several factors when selecting the book, including its length, the cost of bringing the author to campus and whether its themes can resonate with Elon’s diverse student population. Patch said the committee also looks for ways to connect the book to organizations and events on campus. 

Last year, Patch said students read “First Gen,” which connected to the school’s office for First Gen students. 

“It’s doing really big things in the world,” Patch said. “We have a lot of students who have some really cool stories to tell.” 

This year, Patch said the book will draw focus to Elon’s athletics department, which is undergoing a rebrand with its new visual identity and mascot that was revealed at College Coffee Aug 25. 

“We have really wonderful student-athletes,” Patch said, “But we kind of ignore them as part of the academic experience. They’re a huge part of the academic experience.” 

Assistant Director of Academic Support and Student Experiences Cole Henderson said the book presents an opportunity for athletes at Elon to find some enjoyment in reading. 

“I know in the past our student population hasn’t really taken much of an interest in the common reading, but since Hanif has his sports background and the book being about basketball, I’ve found that student-athletes would definitely take a liking to the book,” Henderson said. 

Henderson said the book invites student-athletes to reflect on what makes up their identities. 

“It’s important for our student-athletes to know that their sport is what they do and not necessarily who they are,” Henderson said.

Beyond student-athletes, Patch said the book will be a way for all Elon students to find some common ground. 

“The classroom is a big space where you learn how to be part of the community and have this safe space to do it,” Patch said. 

Though she said she doesn’t expect students to stop each other on campus to solely talk about the book, she hopes they can find some connections when talking about it in class. Patch said she will be integrating the book’s themes about home into her own English 1010 class. 

“I really love to talk about how where we’re from and where we are really shapes our identities and home,” Patch said. 

Patch said she plans on highlighting Abdurraqib’s love for LeBron James in her own classroom to emphasize how local heroes shape someone’s interests and values. 

“I grew up in North Carolina. Michael Jordan is like is a huge part of my life,” Patch said. “He was a reason why I chose to go to the University of North Carolina.”

Patch said this can apply to non-celebrities as well. She said the mentors and peers students find on campus are some of the strongest influences and guides to figuring out life. 

“Whether it’s peers or professors or staff or whatever, who are going to be the people who you can go to and who can help you figure out your next steps?” Patch said. 

Henderson said those conversations about belonging extend beyond the classroom and into students’ transition to college. 

“The big takeaways for our students to know is where home is,” Henderson said. “And maybe, that could be Elon for them.”