Children's Audiobooks · Teen & Young Adult
Shot Clock
Editorial direction by Kevin CravediFounder, Recommended Audiobooks
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Recommendation DNA i
Developing ProfileAn early recommendation profile built from the strongest book and listener information we can support so far.
The overall DNA score uses supported Quality dimensions only. Trait bars describe characteristics such as complexity, romance, pace, and accessibility; those traits do not raise or lower the overall score.
Tony loves basketball, and in his hometown the sport is closely tied to friendship, pride, and community. After his best friend Dante—a gifted player who led the Sabres AAU team to two national championships—is killed by a police officer, the game no longer feels the same. Tony wants to honor Dante by making the Sabres himself, hoping that joining the team will give him a way to carry his friend’s legacy forward.
The tryouts do not go as Tony expects: he fails to make the roster as a player. Coach James, a former NBA star, sees another kind of strength in him and offers him a place with the team as its statistician. As Tony learns how he can help from the sidelines, the Sabres work toward a championship while the surrounding community struggles with fear, anger, and grief. His new role brings him into closer contact with the players and coach, asking him to decide what belonging looks like—and whether helping the team succeed can also help him begin to heal.
Evidence Confidence
Why this matters →- The book itself is well identified and supported across independent sources.
- We still have limited information tied to this exact recording or edition.
- We have recording-specific performance commentary or analyzed audio for this audiobook.
We have a useful picture of the audiobook, though some listening and edition-specific details are still becoming clearer.
Evidence Snapshot i
These cards measure different things in the same evidence pool, so they are not meant to add together. Retained Evidence counts unique saved records; discussions and networks count independent groups; narration and edition cards count only records qualified for those specific jobs.
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Supporting sources 10
What this means
Unique evidence records that remain after filtering and deduplication. The larger evidence-signal total shown below can be higher because one retained record may support several separate facts or observations.
What this means
Separate reviews, forums, interviews, or conversations, with duplicates kept from inflating the total.
Networks 12
What this means
Different platforms and publications represented in the research behind this page.
Supporting sources 1
What this means
Performance evidence that can actually describe how this narrator sounds or performs this recording. Identity records, narrator biographies, sample links, and awards are useful context but do not count here on their own.
Supporting sources 3
What this means
Sources tied to the audiobook recording itself, such as verified product or catalog records that help resolve narrator, runtime, format, release information, or stable recording identifiers.
What this means
The most recent date this page’s saved evidence picture was refreshed and checked.
A larger evidence pool gives us more to work with, but volume alone does not make a conclusion stronger. Relevance and independence still matter.
Narrator Experience
How Marc Anthony Samuel performs this particular recording.
How we build this section
Performance summary
In the verified sample, Marc Anthony Samuel is heard with steady pacing, clear enunciation, moderate differentiation between the deliveries heard, and expressive expressiveness. These excerpt-level observations are combined with recording-specific listener evidence, so the profile stays cautious about qualities the short sample cannot demonstrate across the full audiobook.
This description is based on evidence specific to this recording.Verified against the exact title, author, and narrator. Opens the Apple Books sample page.
Performance at a glance
What the qualified evidence says about this narrationAudio observations reflect a short verified sample and are combined with recording-specific performance evidence.
What this means for your listen
Early performance evidence points this way: the steady or measured pace should feel easy to settle into; listeners who prefer brisk delivery may find it more deliberate. Clear or careful diction should make dialogue, names, and unfamiliar terms easier to follow over a longer listen.
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Evidence behind this section
Counts describe support for this narrator/recording, not a quality score.Why we describe the performance this way
We use evidence tied specifically to this recording. Repeated observations across independent sources carry more weight than isolated comments. Narrator background and career recognition can add useful context, but they do not determine how this performance is described.
View source groups 3 groups · 13 records
Is This Right for You?
Story and reader-fit guidance remains useful here. Recording-specific claims are limited to evidence matched to this exact edition.
You’ll probably enjoy this if…
- Middle-grade readers and listeners who enjoy basketball-centered stories.
- Fans of team narratives involving mentorship, statistics, and an underdog path to belonging.
- Listeners who appreciate sports fiction with grief, community concerns, and emotional stakes.
- Families or educators looking for a starting point for conversations about loss, justice, and different forms of contribution.
It might not be the best fit if…
- Listeners wanting a straightforward championship story without major social or emotional weight.
- Very young or sensitive listeners who may be unsettled by police violence, death, or community fear.
- Anyone choosing primarily on the basis of narrator style, since recording-specific performance evidence is not available.
- If narration style is important to you, use the verified sample above alongside the edition-matched performance evidence.
Our Take
Shot Clock uses basketball as a route into grief, friendship, and the search for purpose after a devastating loss. Tony’s path is especially promising for readers who have felt overlooked or assumed that only the most talented players matter. The available conversation is early, but it consistently frames the book as emotional, quick-moving, and more substantial than a straightforward sports story. Recording-specific performance evidence is not available, so this recommendation rests mainly on the story and its themes.
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Runtime & Edition Details
- Runtime
- 5h 44m
- Format
- Audiobook
- Language
- en
Before You Listen
- Consider the listener’s comfort with stories about grief and unresolved injustice.
Why You Can Trust This Recommendation
- Identity and edition signals are checked separately
- Independent discussions and source networks are counted distinctly
- Narration claims require edition- or narrator-specific support
- Unsupported information is withheld instead of displayed as a zero score
90 evidence records remain in the research set behind this page after filtering and deduplication.
FAQ
Is this a good choice for younger listeners?
It is positioned as a middle-grade story, but it deals with the death of a Black teen at the hands of police, fear, and the lack of justice afterward. Families may want to talk with younger listeners about those subjects before or during the book.
Is basketball central to the story?
Yes. Tony’s effort to join the Sabres, his role as the team statistician, and the team’s attempt to win a championship provide the story’s main structure. Basketball is also connected to friendship, grief, community, and personal growth.
Does Tony play on the team?
Tony does not initially make the Sabres as a player. Coach James gives him another way to belong by inviting him to serve as the team statistician.
Is this audiobook in English?
Yes. This edition is an English-language audiobook narrated by Marc Anthony Samuel.
How long is the audiobook?
The verified edition runs approximately 5 hours and 38 minutes.
Ready to experience Shot Clock?
Continue to this audiobook’s current verified edition and availability.