Bobby Blake

Among Carroll's entourage is Bobby Blake, a reckless companion who indulges in drugs and then embarks on wild, unlawful escapades.

Mr. Bluster

As the principal of the Catholic private school that Carroll attends thanks to a scholarship, Mr. Bluster plays a pivotal role. He intervenes to secure Carroll's premature release from Riker's juvenile detention.

Brian Browning

Brian Browning, another of Carroll’s drug-addled friends, shares a rented apartment that doubles as the infamous Headquarters, a haven for the local addict community. When Carroll is in dire need of heroin, Browning ventures out to fetch it while Jim remains behind with his older lover. Browning astutely observes how junkies curl into fetal positions, seeking the comfort of a return to the womb.

Jim Carroll

The voice behind The Basketball Diaries, Jim Carroll weaves an autobiographical tale capturing his tumultuous journey through New York’s gritty streets. As the narrative begins, Jim is a naive thirteen-year-old, scarcely acquainted with the worlds of sexuality, narcotics, and crime, yet already making his mark as a fledgling basketball talent in a local league. But these facets of his existence soon transform dramatically. He swiftly rises to stardom on the basketball court, earning a scholarship to a prestigious school, delving into heterosexual encounters, and experimenting with increasingly potent drugs.

Initially, heroin is a minor vice, one he convinces himself he can manage. Yet, as the dependency deepens, it alters every dimension of his life. To sustain his habit, he resorts to crime, including vehicle theft, and even sells himself to older women and men. The addiction escalates, incorporating cough syrup, pills, methadone, cocaine, and LSD, ultimately overshadowing his passion for basketball. This voracious appetite for drugs shatters his dreams of a professional basketball career, culminating in a stint in juvenile prison. Emerging from a prolonged heroin-induced haze, Carroll reflects on his downfall, yearning for purity.

Throughout his diaries, Carroll encounters numerous cultural and political topics. He lambasts hypocrisy, criticizes the U.S.'s exploitation of communism fears to justify nuclear armament and the Vietnam War, and highlights the disparity in treatment options between impoverished addicts and their wealthier counterparts. He exposes the duplicity of narcotics officers who hoard seized drugs for personal profit. Carroll foresaw the publication of The Basketball Diaries, aiming to unearth these truths and critiques.

Carroll’s Father

Carroll's father is a shadowy figure in the diaries, their interactions often descending into conflict. Carroll’s opposition to the Vietnam War clashes with his father's support. His long hair, emblematic of the counterculture, irritates his father and his friends, provoking altercations between father and son.

Carroll’s Mother

Similarly elusive is Carroll's mother. She discovers a stash of marijuana, yet Carroll deceives her into believing he doesn't have a drug problem. Her absence is felt when he is confined to Riker's, as she never visits him.

Carroll’s Older Lover

Carroll recounts his liaison with an older, affluent divorcée who indulges in peculiar sexual demands in exchange for supporting his drug habit. However, when she attempts to coerce a heavily intoxicated Carroll into intimacy, he abruptly ends the relationship.

Marc Clutcher

A fellow basketball player and addict, Marc Clutcher's game is compromised by his drug use, much like Carroll and Anton Neutron. Together, they witness a woman's dramatic suicide attempt from a window, and Clutcher is known to smuggle peyote from Mexico.

Deborah Duckster

Deborah Duckster, a model from Carroll's neighborhood, displays both beauty and strength. When Willie drunkenly lunges at her one night, she swiftly incapacitates him with a kick to the groin. Duckster also witnesses the harrowing scene of a woman's attempted leap from a window.