Breaking the Press centers on the struggles of the fictional Conaghey family. Joe Conaghey’s high school basketball team hasn’t come through with a winning season, which throws the young coach’s job into jeopardy. His problems are worsened by the fierce on- and off-court rivalry between his two sons—hard-working older son Matt and gifted but arrogant younger son Josh. When Josh is offered a spot on the team at a prestigious Dallas high school, Joe and his kind-hearted wife, Laura, reluctantly give their permission. Josh quickly falls in with a fast, image-driven crowd, not realizing that his newfound popularity—and his position on the team—is both fragile and costly.