
[4-foot-5 Julian Newman], an 11-year-old fifth grader, guides his [Downey Christian School varsity basketball] team into warm-ups, bouncing two balls at once. He glides into a pregame routine that shuffles through jab steps, hesitation moves and effortless dribbles — between his pipestem legs, behind his back, rapid crossovers. The scene is incongruous enough to seem computer-animated.
[4-foot-5 Julian Newman], an 11-year-old fifth grader, guides his [Downey Christian School varsity basketball] team into...