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Dad
JB is Josh's twin. Like Josh, he's good at basketball, and to differentiate himself from his twin, he wears his hair shaved. He describes himself as the cool one, and he's especially good at free throws. JB begins to mature before Josh does, which causes a number of problems for Josh. His growing maturity means that JB chooses his activities based on whether or not he'll get to hang out with girls, not on whether or not he'll get to hang out with his twin. However, JB continues to play basketball and shines on the court. Especially when the boys play together, they're an unstoppable team. JB often steps into the role of the all-knowing brother; he answers Josh's questions matter-of-factly and doesn't consider anything more than the most obvious answers. Not long before Thanksgiving, the new girl, whom Josh calls Miss Sweet Tea, takes an interest in JB. In her presence, JB becomes goofy and starts to ignore Josh in favor of her. Because Josh's narration doesn't offer any insight into JB's thoughts, it's unclear if JB understands how he's making his brother feel by spending so much time with Miss Sweet Tea. JB also loves to bet and will bet on anything. One of these bets has disastrous consequences: he accidentally cuts off five of Josh's locks instead of the agreed-upon one, thereby depriving Josh of an important identity marker. JB, however, doesn't appear sorry enough for Josh's liking. All of this comes to head when Josh throws a ball at JB and nearly breaks his nose. JB goes on to hold a grudge against Josh for most of the rest of the novel, though he begins to relent not long before Dad's health takes a turn for the worse. Once Dad ends up in the hospital, JB is understandably beside himself and refuses to play basketball until Dad comes home. This means that JB is with Dad when Dad dies instead of playing in the championship game with Josh. After Dad's funeral, the boys begin to make up and JB does as Dad asked by giving Dad's championship ring to Josh.
JB Quotes in The Crossover
The The Crossover quotes below are all either spoken by JB or refer to JB. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
First Quarter
Quotes
To get ready for the season, I went
to three summer camps. JB only went to
one. Said he didn't want to miss Bible school.
What does he think, I'm stupid? Ever since
Kim Bazemore kissed him in Sunday school,
he's been acting all religious,
thinking less and less about
basketball, and more and more about
GIRLS.
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Explanation and Analysis:
That boy is special, and it doesn't hurt
that Chuck "Da Man" Bell is his father.
And mine, too.
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And while Dad is telling us another story
for the hundredth time, Mom removes the salt
from the table and JB goes to the buffet.
He brings back three packages
of duck sauce and a cup of wonton soup
and hands them all to me.
Dad pauses, and Mom looks at JB.
That was random, she says.
What, isn't that what you wanted, Filthy? JB asks.
And even though I never opened my mouth,
I say, Thanks,
because
it is.
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I'm not paying attention
to anything he's saying
or to the dummy
because
I'm watching Jordan pass notes
to Miss Sweet Tea. And I
wonder what's in the notes.
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Second Quarter
Quotes
Identical twins
are no different
from everyone else,
except we look and
sometimes sound
exactly alike.
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Explanation and Analysis:
JB comes running out of the bathroom.
What'd she say, Josh? Come on, tell me.
She said she likes me a lot, I tell him.
You mean she likes me a lot? he asks.
Yeah...
that's what I meant.
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Explanation and Analysis:
Third Quarter
Quotes
You're twins, not the same person.
But that doesn't mean he has to stop loving me.
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Explanation and Analysis:
JB and I look out
the window
at the exact moment
we pass by the mall
and I know exactly
what JB wants.
Dad, can we stop
at that sneaker store
in the mall?
Yeah, Dad, can we? JB echoes.
And the word we
never sounded
sweeter.
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Fourth Quarter
Quotes
As in: Dad's in a coma
because of a myocardial infarction,
which is the same thing
my grandfather died of.
So what does that mean for me
and JB?
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Because the only thing that matters is swish.
Because our backboard is splintered.
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Overtime
Quotes
You earned it, Filthy, he says,
sliding the ring on my finger.
My heart leaps
into my throat.
Dad's championship ring.
Between the bouncing
and sobbing, I whisper, Why?
I guess you Da Man now, Filthy, JB says.
And for the first time in my life
I don't want to be.
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Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire The Crossover LitChart as a printable PDF.
JB Quotes in The Crossover
The The Crossover quotes below are all either spoken by JB or refer to JB. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
First Quarter
Quotes
To get ready for the season, I went
to three summer camps. JB only went to
one. Said he didn't want to miss Bible school.
What does he think, I'm stupid? Ever since
Kim Bazemore kissed him in Sunday school,
he's been acting all religious,
thinking less and less about
basketball, and more and more about
GIRLS.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
That boy is special, and it doesn't hurt
that Chuck "Da Man" Bell is his father.
And mine, too.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
And while Dad is telling us another story
for the hundredth time, Mom removes the salt
from the table and JB goes to the buffet.
He brings back three packages
of duck sauce and a cup of wonton soup
and hands them all to me.
Dad pauses, and Mom looks at JB.
That was random, she says.
What, isn't that what you wanted, Filthy? JB asks.
And even though I never opened my mouth,
I say, Thanks,
because
it is.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
I'm not paying attention
to anything he's saying
or to the dummy
because
I'm watching Jordan pass notes
to Miss Sweet Tea. And I
wonder what's in the notes.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Second Quarter
Quotes
Identical twins
are no different
from everyone else,
except we look and
sometimes sound
exactly alike.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
JB comes running out of the bathroom.
What'd she say, Josh? Come on, tell me.
She said she likes me a lot, I tell him.
You mean she likes me a lot? he asks.
Yeah...
that's what I meant.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Third Quarter
Quotes
You're twins, not the same person.
But that doesn't mean he has to stop loving me.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
JB and I look out
the window
at the exact moment
we pass by the mall
and I know exactly
what JB wants.
Dad, can we stop
at that sneaker store
in the mall?
Yeah, Dad, can we? JB echoes.
And the word we
never sounded
sweeter.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Fourth Quarter
Quotes
As in: Dad's in a coma
because of a myocardial infarction,
which is the same thing
my grandfather died of.
So what does that mean for me
and JB?
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Because the only thing that matters is swish.
Because our backboard is splintered.
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Overtime
Quotes
You earned it, Filthy, he says,
sliding the ring on my finger.
My heart leaps
into my throat.
Dad's championship ring.
Between the bouncing
and sobbing, I whisper, Why?
I guess you Da Man now, Filthy, JB says.
And for the first time in my life
I don't want to be.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
