The poem “Ex-Basketball Player” by John Updike chronicles the life and daily routine of the former high school basketball standout, Flick Webb. The speaker leads the reader on a journey through Flick’s life, starting with the main road in the town, progressing to Flick’s low end jobs, and then finishing with his habits. Flick was once the best basketball player in the area. However, he has since fallen from stardom and now he just “sells gas, checks oil, and changes flats.” (l. 19-20) Personification is also used when the narrator asserts that "the ball loved Flick". The ball is not able to feel, but Updike uses personification to relay to the reader the connection that Flick seemed to have with basketball. Updike also personifies the Necco
