
Dreams and
Nightmares
January-March 2022
In North Carolina's poorest community resides its richest basketball. Kinston High School basketball coach Perry Tyndall rejected documentary requests by Netflix and others but allowed us to spend a season behind the scenes with his program for a multi-part written and video series examining the challenges kids face to survive when basketball may be their only way out.
Series Content
Written pieces are behind a hard paywall. A PDF example of Part 1 can be found here.
Part 1
Inside NC’s poorest community lies its richest basketball where nightmares fight dreams
Part 2
It started as a basketball game. It ended as a reminder of what Kinston is up against.
Part 3
As teens are gunned down in Kinston, can basketball’s refuge prevent another victim?
Part 4
On the banks of the Neuse River, basketball is the escape many teens turn to in order to keep away from gangs and violence. Eventually, their playing careers end.

Hardship, community, legends, this is Kinston basketball

Hardship, community, legends, this is Kinston basketball

It began as a celebration of basketball. It ended as a reminder of what Kinston’s up against
