The Final Four

Basketballs symbolize the commonality among all of the characters. Even though they are from vastly different backgrounds, with different motivations and ambitions, the characters are united by the shared love of the basketball. A basketball can erase the differences between people and allow them to see the commonality between them. Anyone can play, though not everyone can win. The ball itself becomes a symbol of the sport’s power to bring together different people and change them during the course of a game. McBride, MJ, Bacic, and Rice are united by their use of the ball, even if they are experiencing different struggles and problems in their personal lives.

One of Bacic’s most prized possessions is a basketball that was given to him by his Uncle Drazen. Drazen was later killed by criminals for reporting on organized crime while working at a newspaper. Bacic still owns the basketball as it symbolizes Drazen’s memory and his determination to do the right thing, even in the face of violence. The basketball is the tool that Bacic’s uncle gave him to help him escape the war and violence in Croatia, as well as a symbol of the need to act in a moral manner. The ball becomes a symbol of Bacic’s grief and a reminder for him to do justice to his uncle’s memory.