The definitive biography of basketball genius Julius Erving--the icon who transcended his sport and defined an era

Julius Erving, aka Dr. J, was a wizard with the basketball, performing feats the world had never seen before: midair spins and whirls punctuated by powerful slam dunks, which he was the first to glamorize. In a career that lasted from the 1970s well into the 1980s, he was one of the first players to make extemporaneous individual expression an integral part of the game, setting the style of play that has prevailed ever since. He's also long been respected as a gracious, dignified, and disciplined man. As there are great men of history, there are great men of sports, and Dr. J is just such a man.

This book tells Dr. J's amazing story, following his basketball journey from his Long Island childhood to the street games of New York City to a college career as his skills, reputation, and character grew. It follows his entrance into the ABA, where he revolutionized the game by glamorizing the dunk, and his conquering of the NBA, where he was Michael Jordan before there was a Jordan. It relates the family struggles he's had since leaving the game and charts the transformation of the man into myth.The first complete biography of one of the greatest and most popular basketball players of all timeDraws on interviews with Dr. J's childhood friends and his family to teammates and coaches at all levelsWritten by a "New York Times" sports journalist and author of "Asphalt Gods: An Oral History of the Rucker Tournament"Includes Erving's years as a player with the Virginia Squires, New York Nets, and Philadelphia 76ers

Read "Doc" and follow the incredible journey of the basketball genius who elevated the game off the hardwood and helped make it America's passion.

Includes new chapter on the surprising 2009-2010 season

The inside story of how one of the most successful college basketball programs in the nation was built

The 2009-10 NCAA college basketball season marked the 100th anniversary of North Carolina basketball. The UNC Tar Heels have won two NCAA championships since 2005, and own more victories over the last half-century than any other college team.

But it wasn't always that way.

For most of the first 50 years the team existed at UNC, the sport was an afterthought. But that all changed in 1952 with the arrival of Frank McGuire. When Roy Williams and the Tar Heels won the 2005 and 2009 national championships, they could thank Frank McGuire and his protege, Dean Smith, for starting the tradition of triumph. Art Chansky, who has covered UNC basketball for more than 30 years, constructs an intimate narrative of how three dramatically different coaches built the longest-lasting dynasty in college basketball.

The banners of those teams hang in the rafters today, warming the hearts of all those who have worshipped UNC's Light Blue Reign over the last fifty years--and counting. Part history, part centennial celebration, "Light Blue Reign "is not simply about one team's victories--it's about the dedication, passion, and love for a sport that players and fans of any loyalty will understand.

Coaches: Win more games by teaching your players the fundamental skills, intangibles and finer points of the game that other coaches don't know. Help your players eliminate costly turnovers by learning to read the defense, score more points by fine tuning your fast break and improve your offensive attack skills. Players: Take your game to another level by learning the skills and details of the game the elite players know. Learn how character issues can impact a player either positively or negatively. Gain insight into the minds of coaches and learn to think like a coach on the court. Fans: Have a deeper appreciation of the game beyond just recognizing the type of defense or offense being used. Impress your fellow basketball fans with your knowledge of the finer points of the sport and become a true connoisseur of the game of basketball. "There has never been a book before for coaches, players and fans like The Game of Basketball. For the coach, this book is about moving a player's game to a higher level. For the player, the information in this book can make the difference between being an average player and a good player or even a great player. For the fan who wants to appreciate the sport and the nuances of the game, this book provides many of tiny details the average fan is never aware of." Rusty Rogers - 2 Time NAIA Div. II National Championship Coach and 2 Time National NAIA Coach of the Year "Once again Kevin Sivils has produced a book that ought to be in every coach's library. Too often, we fall into the trap of thinking that Xs and Os are the holy grail, but Coach Sivils reminds us of the truth articulated by John Wooden over 50 years ago, "It's not what you do, it's how well you do it." I've never seen a better compilation of the little things that can turn a basketball player into a "Player." Coach Doug Porter - Head Coach Olivet Nazarene University Women's Basketball - 8 Time Coach of the Year

The game of basketball has gone global and is now the world's fastest-growing sport. Talented players from Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa are literally crashing the borders as the level of their game now often equals that of the American pros, who no longer are sure winners in international competition and who must compete with foreign players for coveted spots on NBA rosters. Yet that refreshing world outlook stands in stark contrast to the game's troubled image here at home. The concept of team play in the NBA has declined as, in the aftermath of the Michael Jordan phenomenon, the league's marketers and television promoters have placed a premium on hyping individual stars instead of teams, and the players have come to see that big-buck contracts and endorsements come to those who selfishly demand the spotlight for themselves.

Even worse, relations between players and fans are at a low ebb. Players are perceived to be overpaid, ill-behaved, and arrogant. Fans, paying hundreds of dollars for tickets, often act boorishly and tauntingly. This tension boiled over on the night of November 19, 2004, at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Michigan, during a Detroit Pistons-Indiana Pacers game, when players brawled with fans as much as each other in what was, in fact, a racial skirmish. When the Pacer players entered the stands throwing punches, they had truly smashed an altogether different kind of border.

In the aftermath of that sorry spectacle, regular-season television ratings declined for NBA games. Playoff-game ratings plummeted. Sales in NBA-licensing products sagged by a reported 30 percent. For the millions of Americans who cherish basketball, the love affair has reached a stateof crisis.

Few people care as deeply and know as much about basketball as Harvey Araton, the highly literate and well-traveled sports columnist for "The New York Times." For many a season, Araton has observed "the ballers," as the players call themselves, at college tournaments, the NBA, and the Olympics. He has enjoyed a pressbox seat while watching the great 1980s rivalries of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, the transcendent career of Michael Jordan, and the slow unraveling of the game through the 1990s until the present season, as newly arrived players and league officials misunderstood and misapplied the mixed lessons of Jordan's legacy. Calling on his many years of watching games, of locker-room interviews, of world-hopping reportage, Araton takes us to scenes of vivid play on the court and to off-camera dramas as well.

In this taut, simmering book, the author points his finger at the greed and exploitation that has weakened the American game. And with uncommon journalistic courage, he opens a discussion on the volatile, undiscussed subject that lies at the heart of basketball's crisis: race. It begins, he argues, at the college level, where, too often, undereducated, inner-city talents are expected to perform for the benefit of affluent white crowds and to fill the coffers of their respective schools in what Araton calls a kind of "modern-day minstrel show." It continues at the pro level, where marketers have determined that "gangsta" imagery provides for a livelier entertainment package, never mind the effect it has on the quality of team play. And where, moreover, players themselves, often both street smart and immature, decide to live up to the thuggish stereotypes.

HarveyAraton knows the players well enough to see beyond the stereotypes. He knows that for every clownish Dennis Rodman there is also an admirable David Robinson. For every Ron Artest, there is a Tim Duncan. Combining passion and knowledge, he calls on the NBA to heal itself and, with a hopeful sense of the possible, he points the way to a better future.

Unflinching, timely, and authoritative, "Crashing the Borders" is the beginning of a much-needed conversation about sport and American culture. For those who care about both, this book will be the must-read work of the season.

A guide for volunteer basketball coaches - especially those coaching girls in 4th - 8th grades - provides an easy to follow approach to coaching and managing your team. You'll gain confidence in your approach to practices and games; and you'll enjoy watching your players improve. Coach Michael O'Halloran, father of four daughters, shares his key learnings from coaching 14 different basketball teams. His ""Never Forget They're Kids"" approach to coaching places an emphasis on learning, having fun and creating memorable experiences for players. You'll learn tips on how to plan the season, how to orchestrate your first meeting with parents and players, and how to plan for practices. Other topics covered include: defensive and offensive teaching points, rebounding know-how, plays, teaching shooting, a driveway workout for players, your approach on the bench, and how to keep players engaged over the course of the season. http: //stores.lulu.com/wellpreparedcoach

The world of sports is my escape from the day to day cold hard reality that is my life, people must understand that my life is full of obstacle and it takes a lot of effort just to get started sometimes, sports get me going like nothing else, in my life it is my passion. When I am watching football or basketball I am in the zone my zone. A lot of sports break down various sports because it is their job but I do it because I really, really, really love my sports. People must realize that there is a whole world of sports outside of what we see on T.V. I am talking about those athletes that are not in the spotlight like Lebron, Kobe, or Peyton. I am talking about the athletes like me, the ones living with disability. These people are fighting a double battle because they deal with their physical situation just to do something that they all love just to have some kind of outlet and still we get little of no attention for any of our accomplishments. It is like I said before "people don't care about the handicap," I should say that "some do but most don't." As for me, I will keep doing what I'm doing until someone, somewhere pays attention. Sports gives me and others like me this kind of hope, that alone is reason enough to love the entire world of sports. Just like in the world of sports, people must stop ignoring and underestimating the underdog in the game of life, because the very ones that you count out could be the ones that make the biggest impact. As you can see this thing called sports runs deeper than what everyone wants to realize, it makes people like me believe in somebody.

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.

In the mid-1950s three unrecruited black basketball players, coached by a white former prison guard who had never before coached a college team, led a small Jesuit university in San Francisco to two national titles. "The Dandy Dons" describes for the first time how the unprecedented accomplishment of the Dons, led by coach Phil Woolpert and future hall-of-famers Bill Russell and K. C. Jones, paved the way for black talent in major college basketball and transformed the sport.
James W. Johnson traces the backgrounds of the coach and players, chronicles the heart-stopping games on the road to the championships, and details the Dons' novel techniques: a more vertical game, more central defense, and intimidation as part of game strategy. He also gives a textured picture of life on an integrated basketball team amid a culture of racism and Jim Crow in mid-twentieth-century America.

The Butler Way opens with a discussion of the Butler Way. Barry Collier, a former Butler player, was hired as coach in 1989 and slowly rebuilt a program that has declined since the days of Tony Hinkle. Collier emphasized the Butler way which featured team play. Fans will also be pleased to read about the famed Hinkle Fieldhouse, the greatest coaches, teams, players, and great moments in the storied history of Butler basketball.

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"

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.

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.

Why does she play basketball? Since the enactment of Title IX in 1972, that question has come to be asked of more girls and women--and answered in more ways--than ever before. Christine A. Baker, herself an avid player and an assistant coach, pursues an answer through the ranks of the sport from youth basketball to the WNBA.
Baker sets the stage with a quick look at current statistics and trends in women's basketball nationwide, noting the profound changes in the last thirty-five years. A series of exclusive interviews then takes us into the heart and soul of the sport. Her subjects are players and coaches, from neophytes to stars such as Dawn Staley and Nancy Lieberman; from legendary coaches such as Jody Conradt to the masterminds of USA Basketball and the 1996 Women's Dream Team; from Donna Lopiano, former CEO of the Women's Sports Foundation, to tomorrow's Olympic athletes. A richly detailed, all-encompassing portrait of the sport, these interviews offer a wealth of insight into the game, American sports culture, and, indeed, why Baker plays.

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.

Imagine receiving an invitation to your boss's party to watch a basketball game. Horror strikes because you don't know the first thing about the sport--or maybe you'd like to know more. Or, you love your job, and you want to impress your supervisor and colleagues. But what's a free throw? Why are those men running down the court and charging about wildly? Before you go nuts trying to learn the language of basketball on your own, read Game-Day Goddess: Learning Basketball's Lingo to understand the game. Let this book familiarize you with the expressions the broadcasters use on TV and radio; grasp what's happening when those men on the court in striped shirts thrust their arms high above their heads. One hint. They're not beginning a cheer, such as the wave. Game-Day Goddess: Learning Basketball's Lingo documents the action you'll see on television or hear on the radio, or in the stands, and the essentials of the game. A handy reference covering the most important phrases and words used in today's game at the pro and college level, this concise dictionary features simple entries. With this resource, readers will never again be at a loss for the meaning of a basketball phrase or feel foolish because they don't know what's going on out on the court.

"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.

Miller chronicles his senior year with North Carolinas famed basketball program, taking readers inside the locker room, on the court, and behind the scenes, in this unique book written about one of the most famous college sports dynasties of all time.

Every spring, the first four days of the NCAA men's basketball tournament attracts a horde of basketball bettors to Las Vegas. From the tip-off of the tournament's first game on Thursday morning to the final whistle on Sunday, throngs of bettors--overwhelmingly male--sit in smoky casinos obsessively watching as many as forty-eight college basketball games. This book immerses readers in that action. In "The Madness of March: Bonding and Betting with the Boys in Las Vegas," Alan Jay Zaremba travels to The Strip and gives us a front-row view of the betting culture that surrounds the frenzied first weekend of the tournament. Alternating between humorous accounts of gamblers' exploits and cultural theories on sports in society, Zaremba provides an engaging analysis of the sporting ritual that such gambling has become. With forays into the history of the tournament, the background of sports betting, and a little betting of his own, Zaremba raises the question of whether this subculture of March Madness is a blessing or a curse--and what, finally, it all means.

Ron Richardson has written a cogent, well-reasoned, scriptural account of purpose lost and purpose regained in the human community. In Oneness With God he makes the case for God's plan to bring mankind full circle, and back to Himself. If you've struggled with meaning in your life, this book will help you find plenty of meaning in your connection to the Creator.

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.

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.