The Basketball Diaries is a 1978 book written by American author Jim Carroll, in which he chronicles the decline of a promising young, white basketball player in New York City in the 1960s. Jim Carroll (born August 1, 1950 in New York City) is an author, poet, autobiographer, and punk musician. ... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the largest city and largest metropolitan area, by population, in the United States. ...

Heroin use makes him seem like a "cool guy" to other users, but his euphoric states during basketball games makes him miss baskets, points, and games, and eventually he is forced off the team. Heroin or diamorphine (INN) (colloquially referred to as junk, babania, horse, golden brown, smack, black tar, H, big H, lady H, dope, skag, juice, diesel, etc. ...

The book was later made into a film in 1995 starring Leonardo DiCaprio. 1995 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Leonardo DiCaprio Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio (born Monday, November 11, 1974), is an American actor. ...