They've talked to hundreds of legendary players, such as Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Magic Johnson, and spoken with renowned coaches, including Phil Jackson and Coach K, as well as numerous executives, commissioners, and journalists. Most impressive was the extraordinary quality of the interviews. Again and again, players spoke candidly about secrets and told stories they'd never before discussed on the record.The book that grew out of those interviews is an extraordinary project and quite possibly the most ambitious basketball book ever written. At once a definitive oral history and something far more literary and intimate, this is the never-before-told story of how basketball came to be, and about what it means to those who've given their lives to the game.

    But he has one last piece of unfinished business. The last pass he hopes to throw is to close the circle with his great partner on those Celtic teams, fellow Hall of Famer Bill Russell, now 84. These teammates were basketball's Ruth and Gehrig, and Cooz, as everyone calls him, was famously ahead of his time as an NBA player in terms of race and civil rights. But as the decades passed, Cousy blamed himself for not having done enough, for not having understood the depth of prejudice Russell faced as an African-American star in a city with a fraught history regarding race. Cousy wishes he had defended Russell publicly, and that he had told him privately that he had his back. At this late hour, he confided to acclaimed historian Gary Pomerantz over the course of many interviews, he would like to make amends.At the heart of the story THE LAST PASS tells is the relationship between these two iconic athletes. The book is also in a way Bob Cousy's last testament on his complex and fascinating life. As a sports story alone it has few parallels: An poor kid whose immigrant French parents suffered a dysfunctional marriage, the young Cousy escaped to the New York City playgrounds, where he became an urban legend known as the Houdini of the Hardwood. The legend exploded nationally in 1950, his first year as a Celtic: he would be an all-star all 13 of his NBA seasons. But even as Cousy's on-court imagination and daring brought new attention to the pro game, the Celtics struggled until Coach Red Auerbach landed Russell in 1956. Cooz and Russ fit beautifully together on the court, and the Celtics dynasty was born. To Boston's white sportswriters it was Cousy's team, not Russell's, and as the civil rights movement took flight, and Russell became more publicly involved in it, there were some ugly repercussions in the community, more hurtful to Russell than Cousy feels he understood at the time.THE LAST PASS situates the Celtics dynasty against the full dramatic canvas of American life in the 50s and 60s. It is an enthralling portrait of the heart of this legendary team that throws open a window onto the wider world at a time of wrenching social change. Ultimately it is a book about the legacy of a life: what matters to us in the end, long after the arena lights have been turned off and we are alone with our memories.

    It's one of the things that drove him to write the definitive biography of college basketball's greatest coach, John Wooden, Wooden: A Coach's Life. But John Wooden coached a long time ago. The world has changed, and coaching has too, tremendously. Seth Davis decided to embark on a proper investigation to get to the root of the matter.In Getting to Us, Davis probes and prods the best of the best from the landscape of active coaches of football and basketball, college and pro--from Urban Meyer, Dabo Swinney, and Jim Harbaugh to Mike Krzyzewski, Tom Izzo, Jim Boeheim, Brad Stevens, Geno Auriemma, and Doc Rivers--to get at the fundamental ingredients of greatness in the coaching sphere. There's no single right way, of course--part of the great value of this book is Davis's distillation of what he has learned about different types of greatness in coaching, and what sort of leadership thrives in one kind of environment but not in others. Some coaches have thrived at the college level but not in the pros. Why? What's the difference? Some coaches are stern taskmasters, others are warm and cuddly; some are brilliant strategists but less emotionally involved with their players, and with others it's vice versa. In Getting to Us, we come to feel a deep connection with the most successful and iconic coaches in all of sports--big winners and big characters, whose stories offer much of enduring interest and value.

    LeBron James. Kobe Bryant. Stephen Curry. Kawhi Leonard. James Harden. Kevin Durant. Giannis Antetokounmpo. Russell Westbrook. These are some of the most high profile names in one of the world's most popular sports--basketball. But what steps did they take to elevate themselves to superstardom? What principles did they follow in order to become the best of the best? More importantly, how can you use their example to attain success in all of your endeavors? 'Shoot Your Shot' identifies the key principles that the world's most elite basketball players have applied to their lives and explains in detail how you can can use those same exact principles to help you navigate through life, accomplish your goals, and realize your dreams. Divided into Quarters and making you feel like you are in an actual basketball game, 'Shoot Your Shot' provides an entertaining and unique reading experience while equipping you with proven tools for success. More than just a book about sports, 'Shoot Your Shoot' is suitable for everyone--regardless of age, gender, background, or standing in life.

    The Rebounders follows the college career of an average NCAA Division I women’s basketball player in the twenty-first century, beginning with the recruiting process when Ottaway is an eager, naive teenager and ending when she’s a more contemplative twentysomething alumna. Ottaway’s story, along with the journeys of her dynamic Wildcat teammates at Davidson College in North Carolina, covers in engaging detail the life of a mid-major athlete: recruitment, the preseason, body image and eating disorders, schoolwork, family relationships, practice, love life, team travel, game day, injuries, drug and alcohol use, coaching changes, and what comes after the very last game. In addition to the everyday issues of being a student athlete, The Rebounders also covers the objectification of female athletes, race, sexuality, and self-expression. Most college athletes, famous or not, play hard, get hurt, fail, and triumph together in a profound love of their sport and one another, and then their careers end and they figure out how to move on. From concussions and minor injuries to classrooms, parties, and relationships, Ottaway understands the experience of a Division I women’s basketball player firsthand. The Rebounders is, at its core, a feminist coming-of-age story, an exploration of what it means to be a young woman who loves a sport and is on a course of self-discovery through that medium.Purchase the audio edition.

    Masterfully assembled by longtime Sports Illustratedwriter Alexander Wolff, Basketball spans eight decades to bring together a dream team of writers as awe-inspiring and endlessly inventive as the game itself. Here are in-depth profiles of the legends of the hardcourt--Russell, Kareem, Bird, Jordan, and LeBron--and storied franchises such as the Knicks and Celtics, along with dazzling portraits of the flash and sizzle of playground ball and more personal reflections on the game by some of America's finest writers, among them Donald Hall, John Edgar Wideman, and Pat Conroy. Highlights include James Naismith recalling how he invented the game that would go on to conquer the world; John McPhee capturing the ever-disciplined Bill Bradley as a Princeton Tiger; Peter Goldman's indelible portrait of the life and death of a Harlem Globetrotter; and Michael Lewis's account of the brave new world of NBA analytics. Classic journalism about inner-city basketball by Pete Axthelm, Rick Telander, and Darcy Frey is joined by stories of the game's popularity across America, from the heartland of Hoosier country to an Apache Reservation in Arizona.

    Included is a special chapter by Professor Larry Silverberg providing an in-depth analysis of the physics involved in shooting a free throw. Learn the most important aspect of shooting and how to utilize simple physics to make more shots. This book is a game-changer. You will improve faster and eliminate the frustration that comes from missing and not knowing why. A must-read for anyone who is looking to fast-track their shooting success.

    As a starting center for the Utah Jazz for over 10 years, Mark Eaton experienced the transformation of his team from cellar dweller to one with an extraordinary 20 consecutive playoff appearances. In The Four Commitments of a Winning Team, Eaton shares the lessons he learned in his incredible journey from a 21-year-old auto mechanic to a record-breaking NBA All-Star, distilled into a simple but powerful plan of action. This book will help you—whether you’re a CEO, team leader, or individual—inspire, strengthen, and motivate your team to outperform your competition and achieve record-breaking success.

    Along with dozens of other fans, Jay and his family would crowd into the gymnasium of the local high school. Of all the places in the world, Jay only ever wanted to be courtside, surrounded by the game he loved with the roar of the crowd behind him. Jay never lost that passion for the game. A talented basketball player, Jay competed at the highest levels of the sport. He broke school records, traveled the world with the national team, and twice played against some of basketball’s biggest stars at the Olympics, all in the hopes of one day becoming a professional athlete. But the road wasn’t always smooth. Basketball was in its infancy in Canada, and Jay’s options were limited. Jack Donohue, the imposing forefather of the national game in Canada, held the fortunes of many players in his hands, and he tested the mettle of those around him. Throughout it all, Jay’s love of the sport drove him onward. As Jay matured, so too did the game of basketball in Canada, from humble origins in quiet communities to international competitions and the peak of the professional game. Along the way, Jay drew inspiration from the remarkable people in his life. When he was playing at university, Jay’s trainer was a young man named Terry Fox, who showed Jay the true meanings of discipline, gratitude, and giving back. Years later, when Jay was coaching Olympic and NBA teams, it was those same lessons that helped him realize that he wasn’t just shaping athletes; he was shaping a new generation. Told with honesty, warmth, and passion, Jay Triano’s story is an uplifting reminder of what it means to love a sport and a country.

    Each image riffs on a classic Japanese painting or subject, adding a surprisingly weighty visual twist as Archer's deft world-building weaves these disparate visual iconographies into a cohesive whole.Often front and center, an NBA personality is dramatically re-imagined and yet recognizable, surrounded by the myriad trappings of the "floating" world. See Hokusai's The Great Wave off Kanagawa re-imagined as a court bursting apart at the floorboards and carried forward by a surge of hundreds of basketballs. A Torii gateway becomes the backstop for a basketball hoop, with a backdrop of mountains and a vast, snowy sky. Brief, accompanying texts describe the thematic connections between each painting's converging themes, and explore the roles that culture, community, celebrity, and games play in our daily lives.Featuring: Lebron James - James Harden - The Mask / Kyrie Irving - Shaquille O'Neal - Dirk Nowitzki - Dikembe Mutombo - The Brodie / Russell Westbrook - The Splash Brothers / Stephen Curry & Klay Thompson - The Black Mamba / Kobe Bryant - Vince Carter - Karl-Anthony Towns - The Greek Freak / Giannis Antetokounmpo - The Durantula / Kevin Durant - Allen "The Answer" Iverson - The Reign Man / Shawn Kemp - Anthony "The Brow" Davis - Damian "Dame Time" Lillard - White Chocolate / Jason Williams - The Law / Kawhi Leonard

    The league office thinks that 'Harper' is a girl's name. The coach has a marvelous idea. It would require a little roleplaying, but Harper's not convinced. Someone might find out his secret....

    With startling symmetry, Baylor recounts his story: flying back and forth between the U.S. Army and the Lakers, his time as a central figure in the great Celtics-Lakers rivalry and how he helped break down color barriers in the sport, his 1964 All-Star game boycott, his early years as an executive for the New Orleans Jazz, and twenty-two years as general manager for the notorious L.A. Clippers and Donald Sterling, spent fighting to draft and sign young, black phenoms—only to be hamstrung by his boss at every turn. No one has seen the league change, and has worked to bring change, more than Baylor. Year after year, he continued to fight and persevere against racism. At the beginning of his career, he was forced to stay in separate hotel rooms. From those days to today’s superstardom, he has had a front-row view of the game’s elevation to one of America’s favorite sports. For the first time, Elgin Baylor tells his full story and sets the record straight.

    Four weeks later, Maggie died suddenly, leaving behind a devastated family and a group of heartbroken players. Despite their tragic loss, friends, family, and team members took comfort in knowing that the values Maggie instilled in themselves and others would live on.In The Legacy of Maggie Dixon: A Leader on the Court and in Life, Jack Grubbs looks at the remarkable accomplishments of this young woman. Drawing on interviews with Maggie's brother, friends, colleagues, and student players, Grubbs provides an engaging portrait of a woman who achieved the pinnacle in her sport through hard work, determination, and enthusiasm, attributes that continue to inspire those who knew her. In addition to chronicling the events surrounding her golden season at West Point, the book offers a study in the power of inspirational leadership that Maggie embodied. The Legacy of Maggie Dixon captures the wonderful impact she had on those around her in such a short amount of time.--Geno Auriemma, Hall of Fame head coach, University of Connecticut women's basketball, 11-time national champion, 8-time AP College Basketball Coach of the Year

    tells the never-before-told story of the Kennel Club, the largest student group in Gonzaga University's 130-year history. From its origins as a merger of a small nucleus of students and the G.U. baseball team, to its evolution into one of the most feared student sections in all of college basketball, the book chronicles the KC's growth and the growing pains that came with it. Told from the perspective of a founding member, the story includes rarely seen pictures from the Kennel Clubs earliest days as well as a gallery featuring every KC shirt, dating back to the 1984 original. Stories and quotes from former and current players, coaches and media members such as Digger Phelps, Dick Vitale and ESPN SportsCenter anchor Neil Everett round-out the tale.

    His principles for success have been used by not only coaches and athletes, but also business leaders, entrepreneurs, and others. But his reach stretches even farther than most people know--into the hearts and lives of the people who learned the game of basketball on one of Coach Wooden's forgotten teams.For nearly twenty years, John Wooden ran scores of summer youth basketball camps in California and other states, imparting wisdom and teaching skills to thousands of boys and girls between the ages of eight and fifteen. Most would not grow up to play professional or even college ball, but all of them found their lives changed by their interaction with the greatest coach who ever lived. In those camps, Coach Wooden also impacted hundreds of camp counselors and assistant coaches. This one-of-a-kind new book shares their inspiring stories and six fundamental lessons for a life of success and an unforgettable impact on others.

     The Los Angeles Lakers are one of basketball’s most successful franchises. But even they are not immune to black holes - years devoid of championships or generation-defining players. Magic Johnson’s shocking retirement in 1991 thrust the Lakers into a painful and forgotten era of lowlights that lasted until Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal arrived in the summer of 1996. Four different coaches in five years. Rosters of past-their-prime veterans and immature youngsters. Shockingly unprofessional captains. A record losing streak. A retired star who couldn’t let go. But with recalibrated expectations, there are achievements from this era that have been overlooked. Sneaking into the playoffs against all odds in 1992. Showtime’s final stand in Phoenix. The buzzer beater at Boston Garden. An unexpected playoff run in 1995. Giant leaps forward in HIV and AIDS awareness. Comprehensive and reflective, Between Dynasties documents a missing link in Lakers history.

    What happens when she starts talking to the head cheerleader at her school unknowingly? A Young Adult/Teen Drama that you won’t soon forget.