What can the film Hoosiers teach us about the meaning of life? How can ancient Eastern wisdom traditions, such as Taoism and Zen Buddhism, improve our jump-shots? What can the "Zen Master" (Phil Jackson) and the "Big Aristotle" (Shaquille O'Neal) teach us about sustained excellence and success? Is women's basketball "better" basketball? How, ethically, should one deal with a strategic cheater in pickup basketball? With NBA and NCAA team rosters constantly changing, what does it mean to play for the "same team"? What can coaching legends Dean Smith, Rick Pitino, Pat Summitt, and Mike Krzyzewski teach us about character, achievement, and competition? What makes basketball such a beautiful game to watch and play? Basketball is now the most popular team sport in the United States; each year, more than 50 million Americans attend college and pro basketball games. When Dr. James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, first nailed two peach baskets at the opposite ends of a Springfield, Massachusetts, gym in 1891, he had little idea of how thoroughly the game would shape American -- and international -- culture. Hoops superstars such as Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Yao Ming are now instantly recognized celebrities all across the planet. So what can a group of philosophers add to the understanding of basketball? It is a relatively simple game, but as Kant and Dennis Rodman liked to say, appearances can be deceiving. Coach Phil Jackson actively uses philosophy to improve player performance and to motivate and inspire his team and his fellow coaches, both on and off the court. Jackson has integrated philosophy into his coaching and his personal life so thoroughly that it is often difficult to distinguish his role as a basketball coach from his role as a philosophical guide and mentor to his players. In Basketball and Philosophy, a Dream Team of twenty-six basketball fans, most of whom also happen to be philosophers, proves that basketball is the thinking person's sport. They look at what happens when the Tao meets the hardwood as they explore the teamwork, patience, selflessness, and balanced and harmonious action that make up the art of playing basketball.

For most of the twentieth century, West Virginia was a college basketball hotbed. Its major programs were a success, but perhaps even more successful was the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, composed of fifteen schools that rarely earned headlines but set many records and became an identifiable part of small town culture and a source of state pride. This ethos exists today in small town Kentucky and Indiana but struggles to survive in West Virginia. Part of the reason is the state's population decline since the 1950s. That, author Bob Kuska argues, along with the rise of cable and satellite TV and the major college basketball empire, stole the thunder--and the crowds--from these small town communities. And yet, these teams play on in obscurity and still find success. Against the backdrop of West Virginia's great small college history, Kuska chronicles the day-to-day struggles and triumphs of one modern school, Alderson-Broaddus College in Philippi, West Virginia. What happened to that team during a rags-to-riches yearlong stretch would've been remarkable at any level, let alone at a school with very low athletic department budgets and low visibility that makes recruiting talented players almost impossible. As he alternates between coaches and players, past and present, Kuska contrasts the fan enthusiasm of the conference's early years with the apathy that plagues the teams of the twenty-first century. If sports fans can get past the media and the madness that has made college basketball increasingly similar to professional basketball in its self-indulgence and sensationalism, they are left with leagues like the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference--scrappy, intelligent, and spirited--and still finding ways to succeed and thrive.

In February 1948 the brand-new, all-white Minneapolis Lakers were arguably the greatest basketball team in America, favored to win the World Professional Basketball Tournament later that year. Meanwhile the Harlem Globetrotters, at the center of black basketball, were riding their own incredible 103-game winning streak. Best known to white audiences for their clowning and comedy, the Globetrotters were not even thought to be in the same league with the mighty Lakers. So when these two powerhouses met for the first time--on February 19, 1948, before an audience of eighteen thousand in Chicago Stadium--basketball fans everywhere were in for an eye-opening performance."" "Tricksters in the Madhouse" is the story of this pivotal meeting, a game that would encapsulate the growing racial tensions of the era, particularly the struggle of black Americans to gain legitimacy in the segregated world of sports. Play-by-play, John Christgau recreates the heart-stopping game that would shock white basketball fans raised to view black athletes in separate and unequal terms. Through in-depth interviews and extensive research, Christgau brings this critical match-up to life. By looking beyond the drama in the arena to the broader events of the day, he also puts the game in its sociological context, revealing how, even as it enacted the racial inequities of the time, this crucial game represented an important step toward equality.

In THE GAME WITHIN THE GAME, Frazier breaks down the game of basketball and tells in specific terms how teams that share the ball and play defense, utilizing all five players on the court, usually win.& nbsp; Frazier calls many of today??'s players ???athletes??? and not ???all-around basketball players.??? The NBA has tried to promote individual players and high-flying dunks, but Frazier shows that from the Celtic dynasties of the 1960s to the World Champion Detroit Pistons of 2005, the teams that play ???old-school??? team basketball are the teams that win.& nbsp; The others are shown on the highlight reels, but they go home trophy-less. In his folksy, lively language, Frazier will pinpoint the players and teams he likes today, and the ones he feels need to make an attitude and player adjustment if they are ever to play at the championship level.& nbsp; Finally, the book will cover the game??'s evolution in the past 60 years and where it is heading over the next decade.

The book, Basketball and Baseball Games: for the driveway, field or alleyway, is an interactive book for all those who enjoy getting outside with friends, families or neighbors and enjoying a fun-filled game of basketball or baseball. Whether at your portable or garage hoop, down at the park, court or back in the alley. What makes the book unique is that it contains a variety of original and beloved games for fewer players of 1 to 10. It includes basketball trivia and space to create your own games! Basketball and Baseball Games is the perfect gift for any age young person or the young at heart.

The untold drama of the 1974 NCAA Basketball Champions: the North Carolina State University Wolfpack As the 1973-74 college basketball season began, most experts expected John Wooden's UCLA Bruins-led by All-American Bill Walton-to win its eighth straight national championship. Only one team truly challenged them: an archetypal Naismith team--the NC State Wolfpack led by the dynamic trio Tommy Burleson, David Thompson, and Monte Towe recognized by many at the time as the best one-two-three punch in college basketball. Their historic run for the national championship was accentuated by challenges, successes, and failures. It was one of personal sacrifice and determination by a group of young men who pulled together amidst adversity to become one of the great college basketball teams ever.

Chris O'Connell's teams have often displayed a firm grasp of basketball fundamentals. This book will give players, coaches, and parents a look into the making of a good basketball player and effective basketball play. We hope you can use this book to improve your ability to develop basketball skills.

UConn was a fledging women's basketball program that had been to one Final Four as of 1995. Tennessee was the king of the hill having won 7 National Championships and having produced some of the greatest women's players of all time. Pat Summitt was and is the head coach and is widely considered to be one of the top coaches in women's or men's college basketball history. In fact, she turned down the Tennessee head men's coaching job. She agreed to play Geno Auriemma and UConn in 1995 in an epic battle in Storrs, CT. UConn won that game and won the National Championship that year and off and running was the series. It has produced as much if not more drama than Red Sox-Yankees, Cowboys-Giants and Knicks-Celtics. It has been compared to Carolina-Duke on the men's side. It is certainly produced more National Championships than both of those schools.

"What Duke and North Carolina represent in men's college basketball, UConn and Tennessee represent in women's college basketball, the greatest rivalry in the game. Two teams that when pinned against one another in 1995 for the National Championship changed the sport of women's college basketball forever. The cast of characters from the polarized Hall of Fame coaches to the all-American icons have raised the bar, the talent and the media awareness at the national level. Although the characters change from year to year, the national fever of this matchup continues to grow. It is an ongoing saga that defines women's basketball and encapsulates all that is good and possible about athletic competition. Any young player should read this book and understand that without these teams, these coaches, these players, we would be watching women's basketball exclusively in March at the Final Four." Colleen Healey, former UConn women's basketball player.

"Players and Pretenders" tells the story of the flip side of basketball's "March Madness," where the game is played by average players for love, not for money. At the end of the 1970s at Bard College, where there was no pretense of institutional support, Charley Rosen gathered his hoops hopefuls and put together a basketball season whose impact reached far beyond the court. Writing with a humorous touch, Rosen details the Running Red Devils' season, simultaneously examining the lives of those who made it so memorable and providing a glimpse of how the team members existed off the courts as both players and pretenders. His book playfully depicts the 1979-80 basketball season at Bard College and the "sports for fun" side of the game.

It was love at first sight . . . One day I picked up a basketball, and it never let me go.

For fifty seasons Lute Olson has been teaching young athletes the skills of basketball---and life. Starting as a high school coach, he worked his way to the top of the basketball world---winning more than a thousand games, a national championship and world championship, producing some of the NBA's biggest stars, and eventually being enshrined in the basketball Hall of Fame.

But Lute is far more than a basketball story. His partner for forty-seven years in building championship programs was his high school sweetheart; his story is also a love story of a couple who together built a sports legend. Lute and Bobbi Olson were a team. Their almost half-century love affair ended with Bobbi's death from cancer. Lute explores how he dealt with her death and how he moved forward to find a new love.

This is the chronicle of one American boy's dream to become a great basketball coach---his achievements, his coaching strategies, and how he dealt with his beloved wife's death---the wins and losses he faced as boy, man, and coach. But always with one constant in his life, the game of basketball. This is the story of fifty seasons in the life of Lute Olson.

Praise for "Lute!"

"Lute Olson's story is the true American dream. He is a legendary coach who has shared his vision of winning with all his players---now we are given the chance to learn too. It's inspirational and downright heartwarming." ---Jim Nantz, CBS Sports

." . . it is exactly what you would expect from Olson---intelligent, first-class, sprinkled with dry wit---personal in ways you might not anticipate."

---"Tucson""Citizen"

"This is not a basketball book. It is not a book about a coach. It is the most unexpected of all things from the inscrutable Olson: the story of his personal life." ---"Arizona"" Daily Star"

What NBA team was the greatest ever? For basketball fans, that question can lead to widespread debate.

Sports journalist and basketball enthusiast Kyle Wright has created a new and unique computer formula to rank every team in NBA history. Coining it as the POST formula, Wright assigns ratings to all NBA teams based on how they stack up to other comparable teams during any year-from the number of wins and losses to points scored and points allowed. The result is a complete ranking that takes you from number one to number 1,153.

Wright brings to light other game-stopping details that sports lovers will appreciate, including:

The most dominant teams to ever play The teams with brilliant records but no titles The unimpressive teams that won championships The teams that lost the most through the years "The NBA from Top to Bottom" is for every diehard basketball fan. It achieves nothing but net as it comprehensively identifies and profiles the best and worst teams ever to grace the court.

You volunteered to coach the basketball team, but are you really ready? How will you teach the fundamental skills, run effective practices, and harness the energy of your young team? Fear not: Survival Guide for Coaching Youth Basketball has the answers. Yes, the wildly popular and entertaining coaching guide is back in a new, updated, and expanded second edition. Longtime coaches Keith Miniscalco and Greg Kot return to share their experience and provide advice you can rely on from first practice to final shot. From evaluating players' skills and establishing realistic goals to using in-game coaching tips, it's all here-the drills, the plays, the fun. Develop your team's dribbling, passing, shooting, and rebounding skills with the Survival Guide's collection of the game's best youth drills. For plays and sets that young teams can actually run, flip to the Survival Guide's offensive and defensive playbook. And to get the most out of every practice, follow the ready-to-use practice plans. So worry not, coach. Survival Guide has helped countless coaches have rewarding and productive seasons-and a lot of fun along the way!

Walt Frazier, one of the greatest guards ever to play the game, writes about "old school ball" and his ideas for reinvigorating the sport In The Game Within the Game, basketball legend Walt Frazier looks at basketball from both a historical and personal viewpoint. When Frazier first started playing the game, discipline and strategy were more highly valued than in today's game, which he describes as having devolved into "a playground fest of dunks and threes." The old-school style of Frazier's past emphasized substance over style, contrary to the current state of the game, where celebrity and flashy moves dominate. In lively and accessible language, Frazier writes about how important "the game within the game" really is. He emphasizes timing and mental skill, far more than dazzling moves, as the strengths that today's players need to hone in order to achieve success. Frazier makes some controversial points, aimed at new basketball players."The game within the game starts with players respecting their coaches, their teammates, and the opposing team. The Indiana Pacers had a good chance of winning the NBA championship last year before Artest erupted. They had a record of 16 wins and only 8 losses at the time the brawl occurred and were touted as the team with the best chance of dethroning the Pistons in the East.Artest had been out of control for a long time. The Pacers tried to rein him in by suspending him earlier in the season, but Artest didn't learn his lesson. He is a product of his times. Basketball is a microcosm of life. Walking down the street today, guys want their props. If you bump into a young guy, he might go off. It's carried over into the NBA. The guys in the league today are young and they often have a similar mindset."

The true story of basketball lives as much off the court as on the hardwood; it is about politics and race and cultural clashes as heated as a final-four buzzer-beater. This story unfolds in all its gritty and colorful detail in Under the Boards. From the birth of the Larry Bird legend to the ascendancy of a hip-hop-infused NBA to the backlash against bling and the contemporary American game, Jeffrey Lane traces the emergence of a new culture of basketball, complete with competing values, attitudes, aesthetics, and racial and economic tensions. The revolution Lane describes resonates in the way Latrell Sprewell's assault on his coach forever changed NBA power relations; in legendary coach Bob Knight's entanglement in high school basketball history; in the dramatic shift in attitude toward European players; in the impact of the deaths of two rappers on rookie Allen Iverson's career; and in conflicting cultural models rooted in ideals of black masculinity and white nostalgia. In these moments Lane's book documents a profound change in basketball and in American culture over the last thirty years. Jeffrey Lane is the founder and director of Schoolhouse Tutors, a mentoring program for middle and high school students in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

With the possible exceptions of boxer Muhammad Ali and baseball player Babe Ruth, no athlete has made a greater impact on American society-or in the world-than Michael Jordan. Follow the life of one of the most recognizable athletes and living brands inside this engaging and balanced biography. He is among the best-known and wealthiest athletes in the history of organized sports. With the possible exceptions of boxer Muhammad Ali and baseball player Babe Ruth, no athlete has made a greater impact on American society-or in the world-than Michael Jordan. Follow the life of one of the most recognizable athletes and living brands inside this engaging and balanced biography. When basketball stars Larry Bird and Magic Johnson retired in the early 1990s, Michael almost single-handedly propelled the NBA to stratospheric levels of success and international visibility. As a player for the Chicago Bulls, he generated instant crowd thrills with his record-setting drives and dunks, selling countless books, newspapers, videotapes, NBA game tickets, and hours of television time. The NBA promoted Michael, basing its popularity on his image as the greatest showman in sports history. Yet his sports hero status extends beyond NBA records. Michael changed the game by becoming the most effectively marketed athlete of his generation. Nike and many other companies rode-and continue to ride-on the coattails of Air Jordan's legend. Author David Porter highlights Jordan's on and off the court accomplishments and examines his relationship with Chicago Bulls' coaches, his commercial endorsements, and his current role as part-owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. A chronology, photos, career stats, and a bibliography of print and electronic resources round out this biography of one of the most influential athletes of the twentieth century.

THE FULL, CANDID STORY OF COLLEGE BASKETBALL'S MOST CONTROVERSIAL COACH! Detailing Bob Knight's most explosive moments on and off the court, and drawing from more than one hundred revealing new interviews with those who have worked and played alongside him, this is the most balanced and comprehensive portrait of the NCAA's infamous coach. Love him or hate him, here is BOB KNIGHT AS HE REALLY IS.

Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

This is the most comprehensive and up-to-date basketball-specific training guide in the world today. It contains descriptions and photographs of over 80 of the most effective weight training, flexibility, and abdominal exercises used by athletes world-wide. This book features year-round basketball-specific weight-training programs guaranteed to improve your performance and get you results. No other basketball book to date has been so well designed, so easy to use, and so committed to weight training.This book will have players increasing strength, power, agility, and overall quickness on the court, leading to an increase in rebounds, steals, blocked shots, and overall defensive efficiency. You will build the strength and power needed to dominate the post and under the basket and you will build the stamina and endurance needed to go strong until the final whistle. Both beginners and advanced athletes and weight trainers can follow this book and utilise its programs. From recreational to professional, thousands of athletes all over the world are already benefiting from this book and its techniques, and now you can too!

1976 is a year many people in the village of Westville will never forget. Their local hometown basketball team, the Tigers, took their fans on a magical ride in a quest for the state championship. The interviews from everyone involved, including the players, coaches, and fans recount the journey of this unforgettable team, from the high expectations of pre-season to their heart wrenching final game of the Class A state tournament. Remember Westville is a story of triumph and heartbreak as seen through the eyes of the 1976 Westville basketball team and the community that loved them. What happened in 1976, in many ways, molded these teenagers into the men they would eventually become. The loyalty of the fans was unmatched in the season of '76; Westville fans continue to support their Tiger teams. But their hearts still hold this special team close to their hearts. It's the team the town can't forget.

National bestseller reveals the man behind eight NBA championships

"A must for any serious student of basketball."
--Gary Dretzka, "Chicago Tribune

"Mindgames follows the journey of Phil Jackson to the top of basketball's coaching hierarchy, a rise that took him from failure and obscurity in the CBA to eight championship rings in the NBA. Along the way he turned multimillionaire players on to meditation, transformed the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls from a one-man show into a five-man team of domination, and, after battling with Bulls management, ended one dynasty to start another on the West Coast.

Sportswriter Roland Lazenby, author of the bestselling "Blood on the Horns and "Mad Game, reveals the fascinating elements of Jackson's life and mental approach to coaching that have made followers of his players but also have made him--perhaps not surprisingly--unpredictable and sometimes unpopular to outsiders. It is also a detailed basketball story, with entertaining accounts from Jackson's years with the New York Knicks under the legendary Red Holzman to his remarkable eight championships coaching first the Chicago Bulls and then the Los Angeles Lakers. This paperback edition of "Mindgames includes a new chapter on the 2000-2001 season, in which Jackson and the Lakers overcame the perils of success and team-breaking player infighting to capture their second consecutive NBA title.

In "Mindgames, Lazenby compellingly portrays a man with a unique determination to control the competitive environment he inhabits. A clear picture of the Jackson mystique emerges: philosopher, teacher, manipulator, counselor, psychologist, shaman, champion, master of mind games.

"Howie Thompson shares his insights about the game he loves. Wow He even uses me in his story. Unbelievable Hey, this story is fascinating as it depicts the love for the game by the local PTPer, a prime time performer and a superstar, who comes back from being a player to coach at his alma mater." Dick Vitale Trey 'Shooter' Parrish looked at his coach of four years and said, "Get me the ball, Coach, I can make it." Dripping from sweat, exhausted beyond his thoughts of what he could endure, the star high school senior was ready for his day in the sun. The aged and revered coach of South Willow High School designed a play that would set a triple pick for Trey and bring him out to his favorite spot just beyond the three point line at the top of the key. Coach Jones was seventeen seconds away from his nineteenth straight state high school boys' class 4A title, and it all rested on the talented hand of his senior shooting guard. He had seen Trey make this shot many times before, and every time he knew it was good when it left his hand. That's why he had no trouble drawing up what he believed would be the final winning play of his storied career. Coach Jones, after twenty-five years at South Willow High School, was hanging up his whistle and giving up coaching the game he so loved. After twenty-five years and eighteen State Titles, he was saying farewell to the hardwood and taking his wife on a long cruise. The school had thrown a party for him about two weeks before the state playoffs, and this was to be the final play of the last game of a storied coaching career. He looked at all of his players, a trace of a tear in the right corner of his eye, as he said, "Men, you are the best group of players I have ever coached. Whatever happens now, I will never forget you. Thank you." With that, Jones brought his players' hands together, and like he had done an uncountable number of times before, looked them all in the eyes and said, "You're the best. Go get 'em " The hands broke as they all yelled, "We are...TEAM " Off the five players went to mid-court. As they trotted out onto the hardwood floor, Trey glanced up at the scoreboard. Any doubts he had during the timeout huddle that there wouldn't be enough time to run Coach Jones' play disintegrated as Trey realized they still had seventeen seconds left in this second five-minute overtime. Trey would take the ball out and then circle behind two concealed picks and come off a third pick at the top of the key to receive a pass from his middle school and high school teammate, Ron Gentry. Ron was one of the best passers in high school and led the nation twice in assists. Trey thought to himself how perfect this would be for him, his coach, and Ron - how they would all celebrate yet another state title after the game.

Earl "The Goat" Manigault had what it takes to become a superstar: incredible leaping ability, great timing, and unstoppable moves. He sets a New York City junior high school record by scoring 52 points in one game. In high school and on the playgrounds of Harlem, he astonished opponents with his acrobatic shots, including the patented double dunk. Although seventy-two colleges offered him scholarships, lack of discipline and bad breaks sent Manigault stumbling into a world of heroin addiction and petty crimes for three years. He succumbed to the fast land life that sapped the lives of so many of his friends in the 1960's. The Goat kicked the habit, however, and then returned to Harlem to start his own summer basketball league for black youth. This inspiring story of how one man rebuilts his life is told with vivid, no-holds-barred descriptions of the harshness, humour and love in today's inner city.

This is the story of the 1953 Hoosiers, NCAA champions, coached by Branch McCracken and boldly led by star players Bobby Leonard and Don Schlundt. This legendary Indiana University team from the pre Bob Knight era has begun to fade from memory, but Mac s Boys brings it vividly back to life.

One of the Hoosier state s most beloved basketball teams, the 1953 Hoosiers was also one of the best in the history of college hoops. It was a squad that had a great coach, a pair of star players, and teammates who accepted their roles and executed them flawlessly. With Leonard and Schlundt sharing the spotlight, there was the versatile forward Dick Farley (who would have been an All-American had he played on any other team), tenacious rebounder Charlie Kraak, and the hustling, ball-hawking guard Burke Scott. They were the heart of a team that put together one of the greatest hot streaks ever seen in Big Ten basketball, and then capped it off with a run through the NCAA tournament.

Mac s Boys recreates the terrific story of Indiana s magical 1952 53 season. For Hoosier fans especially, it will become a treasured tale that illuminates one of the most glorious chapters of Indiana University basketball history."

"Inner City Hoops," A Historical Account of Chicago Basketball is a unique publication. Both basketball junkies and social historians will enjoy the content. You will read about the top sixty basketball players in the history of Chicago.

The author gives readers a first hand look at what it's like to grow up in the inner city and make the most of the opportunities that present themselves through sports and education. This account gives you the view of the person who actually lived the inner city experience in Chicago. The reader sees a real-life view through the eyes of Calvin Davis, who gives this historical account along with his personal story. It will be exciting to learn how Chicago basketball has evolved over the past one hundred years, and how it has served as an avenue for upward mobility. This work of contemporary history gives the view of respected basketball historian Dr. Larry Hawkins, who speaks about the "Golden Triangle" where basketball talent in the city of Chicago was developed in the 1920s and 1930s. Sports Researcher, Robert Pruter who wrote the article about Early Phillips Teams indicated that "The Golden Triangle" allowed future basketball phenoms to develop their outstanding basketball skills which would change the face of basketball in the inner city in the years to come. You'll read about community spirit and growth, as well as indifference to racism. The Bronzeville neighborhood on the inner south side of Chicago and the near west side neighborhoods were the places where African Americans from the southern states migrated approximately 35 years after the civil war. This influx of African Americans led to Phillips High School becoming the first black high school in Chicago in the 1920's. The author, Calvin Davis grew up in Bronzeville more than 40 years later and sharpened his basketball skills at all 3 parts of the Golden Triangle. Calvin talks about his time as a member of the notorious Jr. Trotters, the city of Chicago's first traveling AAU type all star team of the modern era. You will read about the famed 2-2-1 press they employed that hunted down opposing ball handlers until they wilted from the relentless pressure, and how they beat any team, any time, any place, and anywhere. You'll also read about the success stories that were a result of the opportunities created, and the discipline learned in basketball that carried over into life skills. A large number of Jr. Trotters went on to not only College, NBA and European League basketball careers after college, but also to a variety of Professional Occupations. Many of them continue to give back to their communities today. In Calvin's case, after leaving the Trotters, he continued as an Honor - Student-athlete at Dunbar High on Jim Foreman's basketball team. He became a Scholarship Basketball Player at William Penn University, a Teacher in the Chicago Public Schools, an Elementary and High School Basketball Coach, a Citywide Sports Coordinator, a School Administrator, the Director of Sports Administration, Driver Education and Facilities for the City of Chicago's Public Schools, and now the author of "Inner City Hoops," a History of Chicago Basketball. The Bronzeville area in Chicago was the first home for many black families from the south and served as a home for many successful athletes. Basketball has been a springboard not only to the NBA, but to college scholarships and professional occupations for individuals like Calvin and countless others. The history in this book will expand the knowledge of readers, and provide enjoyment as well. The book was designed to be written as if a general basketball conversation is being held. As you read about the individual exploits of players, you'll feel the respect the author has for their talents along with his love for the game.