Best of
Basketball

2004

When Nothing Else Matters: Michael Jordan's Last Comeback


Michael Leahy - 2004
    But retirement didn't suit the man who was once king, and at the advanced age of thirty-eight Michael Jordan set out to reclaim the court that had been his dominion. When Nothing Else Matters is the definitive account of Jordan's equally spectacular and disastrous return to basketball. Washington Post writer Michael Leahy reveals the striking contrast between the public Jordan and the man whose personal style alienated teammates and the Washington owner who ousted him.

Let Me Tell You a Story: A Lifetime in the Game


Red Auerbach - 2004
    The fiery coach is a unique personality; brash, opinionated, and unfailingly accurate. As a coach, he never stood still along the sidelines, and in retirement he remains a lively part of the game, still consulted by coaches, players, and general managers at age 86.For years, John Feinstein has met regularly with Red Auerbach and his friends, drawing out Red's life story in a raucous series of unforgettable sessions. From those smoke-and laughter-filled rooms come the colorful reports about all the players and coaches Red has worked with and played against over the years. Bob Cousy, Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, Sam Jones, Bill Russell, and Michael Jordan, you name them, the basketball greats are all here.Red Auerbach's incredible experiences in sports and John Feinstein's unparalleled skill as a sports storyteller make this one of the greatest books to come out of the game of basketball.

Wilt: Larger Than Life


Robert Cherry - 2004
    The author, a native of Philadelphia and an alumnus of Chamberlain's alma mater, spent four years researching and interviewing the most important people in Wilt's life to produce these results.

The Carolina Way: Leadership Lessons from a Life in Coaching


Dean Smith - 2004
    . . . He's like a second father to me." --Michael Jordan "Dean Smith epitomizes what a coach can be-teacher, counselor, mentor, example, friend." --Bill Bradley"He's a better coach of basketball than anyone else." --John WoodenFor forty years, Dean Smith coached the University of North Carolina basketball team with unsurpassed success. Now, in The Carolina Way, he explains his coaching philosophy and shows readers how to apply it to the leadership and team-building challenges they face in their own lives. In his wry, sensible, wise way, Coach Smith takes us through every aspect of his program, illustrating his insights with vivid stories. Accompanying each of Coach Smith's major points is a "Player Perspective" from a former North Carolina basketball star and an in-depth "Business Perspective" from Gerald D. Bell, a world-renowned leadership consultant and a professor at UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School. The keystones of Coach Smith's coaching philosophy are widely applicable and centrally relevant to building successful teams of any kind.

100 Years of Duke Basketball


Bill Brill - 2004
    The Blue Devils have been to 10 Final Fours under Coach Mike Krzyzewski, winning the national championship three times. They played in five consecutive Final Fours and for four consecutive years finished the season ranked number one in the country. Duke won five consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference championships through 2003, and since 1986, the Blue Devils have had six national players of the year. No other school has had more than one. As Duke enters its 100th season of basketball, it will be the 25th year for Hall of Fame coach Krzyzewski. He has been honored 12 times as national Coach of the Year and is acknowledged as the top man in his profession. Duke has had numerous other famous basketball names, including coaches such as Vic Bubas and Eddie Cameron and All-Americans Dick Groat, Art Heyman, and Jeff Mullins. The Blue Devils play in Cameron Indoor Stadium, which has become a basketball shrine. The vociferous student body, the Cameron Crazies, camp out before home games in a tent city they call Krzyzewski-ville. From the first game in 1906 through yet another Final Four appearance following the 2003-04 season, 100 Years of Duke Basketball provides fans with an insider's look at Duke basketball and the people who have made it a national legend.

Going Home Again: Roy Williams, the North Carolina Tar Heels, and a Season to Remember


Adam Lucas - 2004
    He was the prodigal son who served as Dean Smith's assistant coach, turned down the Carolina job in 2000, and finally accepted it in April of 2003. Williams became the Tar Heels's head coach after fifteen spectacular years at Kansas, and the immediate expectation was that he would find similar success in Chapel Hill, a once-proud program that had stumbled under former head coach Matt Doherty. But Williams knew something that it would take casual fans months to realize: Teaching the team of moody basketball players to play winning basketball would be about much more than simply what happened on the court. Williams had established a successful program at Kansas by connecting with the players he had recruited over their four-year careers. At Carolina, he had less than twelve months to turn a group of talented individuals into a basketball team that could function at the highest level of NCAA competition--the Atlantic Coast Conference. Going Home Again is the story of Roy Williams's first season as North Carolina's head basketball coach. Author Adam Lucas takes you inside the locker room and behind the scenes with the nation's most revered basketball program, providing a rare glimpse into the inner workings of one of the country's most secretive college sports dynasties.

Inside Game: Race, Power, and Politics In the NBA (Ohio History and Culture) (Paperback)


Wayne Embry - 2004
    In his new autobiography, "The Inside Game, Embry chronicles his 40 years in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and discusses the problems threatening to undermine it. Embry, who was once sent home from a game in the old Richfield Coliseum when a bullet was found on his seat, tells the inside story of his fall from grace. He writes about the unfortunate dealings that led to his departure from the Cavs and introduces startling information about one of the most highly regarded coaches in the league. He discusses the social and economic changes affecting the league as well as other problems. With equal parts sports management analysis and self-reflection, Embry's book continues to delight and enthrall those who read it.

Legends and Heroes of Philippine Basketball


Christian Bocobo - 2004
    Finally, a book with a rich collection of action photos of your basketball heroes from the early 20th century through the present.You will discover and have fun reading about - · Facts about the achievements of Filipino basketball stars, their unique playing style, experience & tips to young basketball players.· Your favorite professional players from your hometown or school you once attended.· Profiles of the greatest of the greatest (legends) and great players (heroes) of Philippine basketball.· Action photos and portraits of your favorite players.· All-time records set by individual players.· Brief history of Philippine basketball and listing of national teams.· Basketball trivia.For sports fans young or old, professional or recreational basketball players, you will be inspired by this book time and again.