When an American college basketball team travels to Beijing for a "friendship" game in the post-Cultural Revolution 1980s both countries try to tease out the politics behind this newly popular sport. Cultures clash as the Chinese coach tries to pick up moves from the Americans and Chinese-American player Manford spies on his opponents. Inspired by events in her own father's life Yee "applies a devilishly keen satiric eye to...her generation (and its parents)."