Basketball Books

The Garden and the Knicks, a match made in heaven. This book delivers the best insight into the New York Knicks and its best players. From Clyde, to Willis, from Patrick to Houston, this book tells it all. Even has some great storys and pictures of the Old Garden a definent must read

this is a Must have Book for any Fan of the NBA.this Book talks about all of the Great Knicks&is truly Great to reflect on.those Great Knicks Days seems so long ago but they really weren't that long ago.Clyde the Glide,Earl The Pearl through the Present.

If you're a Knicks fan - or even just a basketball junkie - Garden Glory is for you. An easy read with great stories told by those who lived it. I could never have gone to the Old Garden, but the mental pictures the book creates is marvelous.

But the big unanswered question that I need to know is: What was Spree REALLY wearing when they came to his house in Milwaukee?

A must read...

This is a book I have loaned to friends of mine and I highly recommend it. If you have played hoop, spent hours in pick-up games or shooting hoops to get better, you'll relate to this book. Reynolds does a great job at painting the picture for you. If you've been there, shared the experiences, you'll fly through this book. I particulary liked the parts where he talked in detail about biding his time on the bench as a young player, getting better, flying under the radar and then becoming an elite player.

This is the second Bill Reynolds book that I have read. Loved them both. I found his descriptions taking me back to high school and the playground. It brought back a lot of memories and also made me think about how I prioritized basketball for so many years.

Non basketball junkies may call Bill's live experiences crazy. I dream of some of his experiences. Great book!

Bill Reynolds is certainly one of America's finest sports journalists. "Glory Days" addsto that luster.While some may dismiss it as a purely personal account of one's growing up, it is a lot more. It is a book to be read and enjoyed by all former star athletes, high school or college, who realized at some subsequent point in their life that they had to move on but did not want to let go of the one thing that they had worked at while growing up A disclaimer: Bill was a fraternity brother of mine at Brown.

This book tells the hardships of living in a poor inner city apartment, hoping that one day you will make it to the NBA. It tells two true storys that actually happened.How that playground kids put in the effort to get a scholarship for basketball from Isah Thomas's former highschool.It tells what life after basketball is, and how living with not much can still mean living.This book captures what reading is all about, learning things about places that you may of never been before.This book is one of the beest biographies ever, anybody who knows and understands basketball should read, and love this book.The book is better than the movie.

The book was well organized and well written. I was able to understand how two young yeenagers experince life in thier low budget enviroment. And to them they see that basketball is their only way out of the inner city. Overall I feel that this book can help out many teenagers that think that playing in the NBA is the only way out of proverty

Hoop Dreams gives the world an opportunity to learn about Arthur Agee, William Gates and their families. More importantly, this book is an opportunity for the reader to improve the quality of their own life by taking an intorspective look at family values, choices, and career dreams.

I rate Inside the Cage a triple E: it's entertaining, educational, edifying. I'm not much of a basketball fan, but I enjoyed Martindale's blow by blow accounts of the tournament games. I particlarly admired his sparse but vivid writing style, which contrasts with today's media's overcharged, over-hyped sports reporting. Martindale obviously knows what made Hemmingway great. But Martindale's perspective extends beyond the games and into the personalities of the people in the background. As a white man talking about mostly black guys, Martindale is honest and avoids the patronizing tone that characterizes so much of the literature written by white people about African-Americans. His portrait of Kenny Graham, the main man behind the tournament, is true and will linger in my mind long after I have put this book down. And what makes Inside the Cage great is that it extends the perspective even further, looking past the games, the memorable characters in and around it, and places the West 4th Street Tournament within a cultural and social context. Martindale's inquiry as to whether basketball is good for the inner-city was one of the most incisive, thoughtful, provocative pieces of sports journalism that I have ever read.

Having spent many summers watching games at W. 4th st., I recommend this book to anyone interested in understanding New York City basketball. In the course of describing one season at the Cage, the book skillfully portrays the colorful characters that make the Cage what it is. The book documents a community of basketball enthusiasts and players who have made this small court in Greenwhich Village their home for over 25 summers. Martindale's portrayal of the lives of these people off the court is just as fascinating as the game time action. The essays on play and city basketball towards the end of the book show just how important the culture of the Cage is. W. 4th st is a NYC summer institution and Inside the Cage is a must read for anyone who really wants to know about it.

Anyone who has watched games at the cage on west fourth street can attest to Martindale's vivid descriptions of the basketball talent and intense competition on display on any summer day.

Behind the scenes is an even more compelling story, unknown to casual fans but brought to life through an insider's view of the legendary tournament. The story of the cage is strengthened by the author's meticulous research, historical perspective and lucid style.

Martindale writes with a keen insight into not just the power and athleticism of the game of street ball, but with an equal focus on the men who make inner city leagues succeed despite improbable odds. Inside The Cage brings city basketball to life and honors those dedicated to making it work. It is a great, fast, informative read.

In todays world of soccer moms and overzealous little league dads, here is a touching narrative from a father who "gets it".
Pete Nelson was a hard working , blue collar dad who watched his son become the best college basketball player in the land and then a budding star in the NBA.
The book also gives a perspective of how an entire community (in this case Chester Pa.) plays a role in the formulation of great kids.
The author (recently deseased) gave us, through his story, a blueprint for raising motivated successful kids.

I really liked the Jameer book. I found it a fun and easy read, that had a story with lots of energy and drive. I enjoyed the many page-long stories from family and friends of Jameer as a suplement to the exciting main story. Together they presented a close and personal picture of a young athlete, at the same time that it did not become your standard, one-dimensional "from rags to riches"-story. The story is told by people who love and care about Jameer, and their sentiments make the book the hart-warming story it is.

Simply put, OUTSTANDING! Elaine and Pete, bring Jameer to life! From his early years all the way to the NBA the reader receives an up-close and intimate look into the life of Jameer Nelson. This is simply one of the best sports biographys that I have ever read. This book is not only for the sports enthusiast or Jameer fan. For, it is also takes a personal look at his family and friends. We see his/their dedication and his/their devotion that helped shape the person we all know as Jameer. As a side note, it also has a very positive message about Chester, Pennsylvania, Jameer's hometown and the mutual love and respect they (Jameer and Chester) have for one another. Overall, a wonderfully informative and personal read. I highly recommend this book to anyone.

Although this book was purchased as a Christmas gift for someone, I was advised that it is a GREAT book and would really be enjoyed by any Kentucky fan. Highly recommend.

The players' stories are interesting and spread out over the history of UK ball. Ralph Beard, Sam Bowie and Rajon Rondo are all here. Todd Svoboda even chips in.

Outstanding compilation of historical Kentucky players/legends sharing their thoughts regarding their most memorable game as a Wildcat. Their stories take on a fervor as they are being relayed to the reader through the hand of the gifted author, who is a true Big Blue fan. This is a must read for anyone who is interested in Kentucky basketball or just a fan of the college game.

He truly is a special Talent.this Guy is always up for any challenge&just gets better with time.I truyl feel when it's all said&DONE HE Will be the Greatest Ever.He already plays with the Greatest in Shaq but time will tell where Kobe will finish.but right Now He truly is on a Mission.

I thought this book totally covered most of the escapedes been through by our favourite LA Laker guard, Kobe Bryant. It contain how he triumphed over peoples doubts of how he wouldn't make it and the inspiration it puts into young people to go out there and do the best they can is just overwhelming. I would recomend this book for people who have trouble believing in themselves because it is trully an eye opener.

As a young boy Kobe Bryant had dreamed of skipping right to the NBA from high school. Practicing hard and achieving many records, Kobe made it to the NBA. Kobe now is making it big in the NBA. Will he become a huge star? Is he the next Michael Jordan? Read this excellent book by Jonathan Hall to find out these answers and more!

"Let's Go, Gaels" is an impressive debut and a wonderful coming-of-age story. Set in 1964, the main themes -- love, loss, family and friendships -- are relevant no matter what the timeframe. A tragic event changes the 12-year-old narrator's outlook on life, forcing him to grow up quick. I found myself fighting off tears as the world got bigger for him, as it became about more than just school and weekend basketball games. Mr. LaBate does a wonderful job capturing the difficulties and joys of being a teenager, especially a teenager coping with loss. His narrator is fascinated with the opposite sex, secretely wonders if the tragedy that his impacted his family could somehow be his fault, and is mature enough to put what was once was an all-important basketball game in perspective. "Let's Go, Gaels" made me remember being a teenager and dealing with the death of a family member, trying to make sense of it. Anybody's who's ever been young, who's had to grow up, or who is still growing up, will enjoy and identify with "Let's Go, Gaels".

In the humble opinion of this former English Major, this 57 page book is a literary masterpiece. The prose is spare. So was Lincoln's, referring here to the real Gettysburg Address, not the version "Gail Wells" giggled through. It is poignant, funny, sweet, engaging, charming. If you fail to recognize any of the characters you will nonetheless find yourself laughing and crying on nearly every page.

But knowing the characters makes it ever so much more fun. Nearly every phrase brought back a hundred related memories of that oh-so-innocent era of SMI and Market Hill in 1964; the paper routes, the class assignments, the movie theaters, the smell of the locker room at the Armory, the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, the intricate plans the guys would make to casually and accidentally bump into a favorite girl, the incredible sentiment attached to a single thread, and the very special memory of an adorable happy little four-year-old girl whose sudden death is at the center of the piece.

Most of all it is a tribute to a wonderful family, made all the more exceptional precisely because the LaBates were not atypical. They were (and are) one of many wonderful families and folks in this town. The book reminded me of so many of them: the Welches, the Borwhats, the Petrucciones, Father Glavin, Doc Cortese and his work among the poor in Central America, the Gormans and Blanchfields and Cushings and Rileys and all those haunts of my youth like Mac and Tom's (and Mac's. And Tom's.) and Fariello's, all of whom and which made Amsterdam such a great place to grow up, and made our decision to raise our family here so easy. ( No offense intended for anyone I left out. Jumbo left me out, too, thank God.)

Finally, and unwittingly, this book is a tribute to the Author, for in its pages Jim LaBate comes through as the sensitive, funny, shy and sweet guy that we always knew. I reveal here for the first time that when the nasty girls in our class were writing their "slam books" rating their classmates, I took a different approach and privately made up a list of all the people of whom I could think of nothing bad to say, putting great stock in the virtue of Nice. Jim LaBate was at the top of the list. In the 34 years that have passed since, no one has come remotely close to knocking him off.

Let's Go, Gaels. Read it. Cherish it. Pass it down to your grandchildren.

Jim LaBate has written a poignant, fully-realized tale of loss and redemption as seen through the eyes of a 12-year-old boy. LaBate eloquently captures the language of youth and the moment-by-moment realities of his young narrator as his world is shattered by an unexpected tragedy. This is that rare coming-of-age story which does not sacrifice innocence. Rather, it reaffirms the values and beliefs that form the foundation of the innocence that is threatened during the one week that is relived in the pages of this book. This gently-told tale is tender but not sentimental and is guaranteed to touch the hearts of readers of all ages. Highly recommended.

The Story of the Buchan Bakers is much more than about a Seattle industrial basketball team that rose to the top of its game during a time when amateur basketball was king. The authors skillfully tell the story of the Bakers within the context of the time; the integration of African-American players, the Cold War goodwill trip to Eastern Europe, and the emergence of the professional game. This is a good read for any student of the history of basketball. The book captures a glimpse of a piece of sports history that would have otherwise been forgotten, a time that seems markedly innocent compared to the what the business of basketball has become today.

Longshot, a book about Seattle's amateur basketball team in the 1950's that brought home the city's first national championship, comes on like a full court press.

Well written and researched, Longshot, is about a group of athletes who worked for and were sponsored by a local bakery, and who played against teams underwritten by national corporations in a time before professional basketball caught on. In 1956, the Buchan Bakers walloped the local competition went to Denver to play other regional winners and on to beat the highly favored Phillips Petroleum team in a two point squeaker of a back and forth game that wasn't decided until the final buzzer, bringing home the national crown to Seattle.

Every local history buff and all sport's enthusiasts will find Longshot a welcome and enjoyable read.

Incredibly well written and highly entertaining anecdotal history of mid-twentieth century basketball. Proof that David and Goliath stories really happen as a small baking company defeats both the Soviet national team and Phillips Petroleum Oilers to win the national AAU title.

Kobe Bryant is all Ready a Important Player but wait until a few years down the line His Best shall come.the Guy is a Good Balance of Talent&Flaw.He is gonna be Scary in years to Come.this Book brings all those Elements&More out.He has had to deal with alot of things On&Off the COurt but He is Headed for Something Special with His Career.the Sky is the Limit for Him.

I read the book a little while back, and I thought it was a great read on the most electrifying basketball player today. At that time, Kobe was going through a lot of growing pains, a lot of failures, crticisms, bad chemistry with teammates. And now, this season, I've seen Kobe's maturation and improvement in the league, playing more under control, playing in Phil Jackson's triangle offense, having better rapport with Shaq and his teammates. His incredible performance in Game 4 of the NBA Finals in overtime was unforgettable and it is only the beginning. Now he is finally an NBA champion with the Lakers, and hopefully, this will be the beginning of another great Laker dynasty, the first of the 21st century!

welcom to the world of kobe bryant this book is nomber 1 out of2,865 books i have read (still counting) this book doesnt just tellyou about kobe it tells you about the whol lakers history and abot how other players reflect on kobe bryant like m.j. & magic Johnson I've read this book 3 times and i never get tierd of it i could tell you at least 5 things kobe has remarked of the top of my head I'm 11 years old & for me to type this much I'd have to love this book! & allso the author r. lazenby is supurb!