Hanamichi Sakuragi a tall boisterous teenager with flamered hair and physical strength beyond his years is eager to put an end to his rejection streak of 50 and finally score a girlfriend as he begins his first year of Shohoku High However his reputation for delinquency and destructiveness precedes him and most of his fellow students subsequently avoid him like the plague As his first day of school ends he is left with two strong thoughts I hate basketball and I need a girlfriend
Haruko Akagi ignorant of Hanamichis history of misbehavior notices his immense height and unwittingly approaches him asking whether or not he likes basketball Overcome by the fact that a girl is speaking to him the redhaired giant blurts out a yes despite his true feelings At the gym Haruko asks if he can do a slam dunk Though a complete novice Hanamachi palms the ball and makes the leapbut overshoots slamming his head into the backboard Amazed by his nearinhuman physical abilities Haruko quickly notifies the schools basketball captain of his feat With this Hanamichi is unexpectedly thrust into a world of competition for a girl he barely knows but he soon discovers that there is perhaps more to basketball than he once thought