Elements of humor play an important role in constructing the comforting atmosphere of When I Was the Greatest. As Ali talks, there is no indicator to whom he is speaking, which feels like a deliberate ploy by Reynolds to make the story feel inviting to everyone. It is successful because the inflections of humor in Ali’s narrative style often mimic his tone when he banters with Noodles and Jazz. This creates an effect of intimacy that resonates with the family theme and makes readers feel less like outside observers and more like part of the neighborhood.

While this is a story of friendship and family, it is told in the context of a neighborhood impacted by crime and poverty. Added to that, one of the characters central to the story has a neurological disorder that has affected his life in heartbreaking ways. These injections of humor serve to counterbalance the heavier aspects of the story’s content and avoid contributing to an already extensive catalogue of trauma porn about Black experience.