When it comes to who gets to learn to play sports and how that happens, there are a lot of different experiences out there. For every child who comes from a family that can pay $30,000 a year for a world-class training experience at an elite sports academy, there are many more who have nothing more than a ball and their own two feet at their disposal. This lack can be compounded by even more issues that kids have no control over at all, like poverty, race, and gender.
Even if a kid can find a sport to play and their family can make it happen, programs themselves are often riddled with any number of issues, including a lack of funding and coaches who don't actually know what they're doing.
These are the concerns that prompted NBA and European basketball trainer Tremaine Dalton to come up with a brand-new basketball comic that can be used by kids and pros all over the world. There are actually two comics: a cartoon version for younger kids, and a manga that will appeal to older kids and adults. Both include QR codes that link to an elite basketball tutorial produced in eight languages (English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Hebrew, and Arabic), as well a behind-the-scenes footage from training sessions and games.
Both the cartoon and the manga are available for pre-order now.
Tremaine founded The Process Basketball back in 2017, and he knows all too well what humble roots many basketball players hail from. As he told LittleThings in 2020, building programs for youth players has been an integral part of his purpose from day one.
"I feel that youth programs of all kind — not just sports — whether art, music, reading, writing, are all important," he explained. "I just went with my strength, which was basketball, and found that it can be used as a tool to inspire kids but also bring families together. Youth programs definitely kept me out of the streets, and I felt with this platform, it's my duty to give back."
In 2018, Tremaine put together a tutorial titled "MUP: Most Unexpected Player" alongside French YouTuber HOOPSIDIA. The French-language tutorial went on to do incredibly well, garnering millions of views across all major social media platforms.
Creating a second tutorial was always on the horizon, but Tremaine needed to find the right place and time. A move to Panama in 2021 inspired him; he began collaborating with local basketball players and videographers to make the tutorial happen.
Barriers that exist for youth basketball players were at the forefront of Tremaine's mind while brainstorming what the tutorial would be. He explains that he landed on a focus that combined his love for the sport, comics, and anime all in one: "I designed this tutorial as a way for athletes to become basketball superheroes by using an array of moves on the basketball court."
He continues, "As a former one-on-one champion, my specialty is teaching basketball moves that create scoring opportunities. Those moves are my superpowers. The tutorial contains simplified lessons for players to learn those superpowers in order to create those opportunities in a basketball game."
Tremaine also notes that it was important to him that the tutorial is easy to use and access: "Because of its simplicity, the tutorial gives all players at all levels the chance to learn, apply, and succeed on basketball court."
Tremaine also enlisted the help of national team players from countries he works in (such as Berto Rojas from Panama) as a way to get youth who already see these players as superheroes even more engaged. While not everyone can attend a national team-level basketball game and see their heroes in person, these players become accessible through each video.
"The tutorial has national team athletes performing moves as examples," says Tremaine, "and it gives the audience a chance to see athletes at the highest levels demonstrate these moves."
Tremaine was putting the tutorial together when he had another idea: What if he added on a basketball comic series, just for fun? After all, comics are a really wonderful way for children and adults alike to read and feel like they have their own superpowers — why not inspire the same in kids who want to play basketball?
He has his own personal connection to comics, too. "I have a long history with comics — comics are how I learned how to read," he explains. "From Thor to Uncanny X Men, comics expanded my imagination and that led to the world I live in today."
Tremaine says that his vivid imagination meant that attending school wasn't very appealing to him as a child. Comics allowed him to escape.
"With comics, there are words — such a telekinesis — that are intriguing and that make you want to find out more. I wanted to know my favorite superhero's powers, and in order to do so I have to learn how to understand the words that described them. From Wolverine's adamantium skeleton to Jean Grey's telekinetic and telepathic powers, the imaginary world created an insatiable curiosity [in me] to learn more and more."
There's an even more personal reason why Tremaine created the comic: He has two sons who are everything to him, and the comic allows him to bring his kids into his world and show them what it's all about.
"The purpose of this comic was really for my children," Tremaine says. "This is my way [of] writing letters to both of them about my journey around the world — and what better way to do so as we are in the digital age."
There's also a manga version of the comic, which appeals to older kids and adults who want to see what a life in basketball can really look like outside of just the NBA.
Both versions of the comic are available for pre-order now, and will begin to be delivered in August.
