The NBA of the moment is a league of hugely charismatic celebrities, crackling aesthetic intrigue, sociopolitical undercurrents, and raw humanity: every Kobe Bryant pump-fake or LeBron James dunk holds within it a Shaq-size load of meaning. The Macro-Phenomenal NBA Almanac is a one-of-a-kind guide to this tumultuous and exciting league. In a series of brilliantly illustrated chapters—from Master Builders like Tim Duncan to Destiny’s Kids like Amare Stoudemire to Lost Souls like Lamar Odom—the almanac breaks down the styles of the NBA’s most colorful characters, showing what each one reveals through his play and conduct, both on the court and off. Filled with some of the smartest, funniest sportswriting known to fankind, this book will cast an entirely new light on one of our favorite games.

    Yes, even in a league loaded with superior athletic talent, the teaching, tactical maneuvers, and strategies provided by NBA coaches are second to none. And as younger, sometimes less mature and less experienced players from all over the world have entered the league, those coaching skills are more diverse and better honed than ever before.Now NBA Coaches Playbook takes you into the practice sessions and sideline huddles with detailed Xs and Os and more from the game's best at maximizing performance on the court. Let the likes of Phil Jackson, Mike D'Antoni, Avery Johnson, Stan Van Gundy, George Karl, Eddie Jordan, Mike Dunleavy, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and many other head and assistant coaches provide you with new insights to benefit your own team and individual players.

    He has done it with a dignity and class that is not always associated with the sporting world. Imagine if you could use those same principles to help improve your business or personal life? In The Xs & Os of Success: A Playbook for Leaders in Business and Life, Kruger does just that. He lays out his principles for taking over cultures seeking stability and direction and changing them into positive, successful environments that bring out the very best in people. These are lessons that are easily applied in the field of business . . . and in life.Kruger does an outstanding job of weaving his own basketball coaching experiences into quick-moving examples of his performance and leadership principles. By the time you reach the last page, you come away with an excellent understanding of why Lon Kruger is not only such an outstanding coach and person but also a brilliant motivator of people.