Basketball Books

Michael Jordan is my favorite athlete! This is the first book I bought on him and I'm very happy. It's brief but there are huge pictured on every page taken by a photographer from Sports Illustrated. It's a quick read but more than enjoyable! Makes a nice addition for any fan!

I have mixed feelings about Michael Jordan. On the one hand, he is a great athlete. I respect his work ethic. He has turned in a number of great performances and is no doubt one of the greatest to have ever played the game of basketball.

There is a flipside. Michael Jordan got all kinds of special treatment while he was in the NBA. He was the first player I noticed who was granted all kinds of trips to the charity stripe because of unbelievably, ticky tack calls. He scored at least ten points a game at the free throw line from bogus calls. It was great when there was a picture session for 'greats of the game' with Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan. Magic told Larry not to stand too close to Michael or they might call a foul. In front of reporters and television viewers, that was a classic comment by Magic. I believe Mike got 99% of all calls in his favor because he was such a cash cow for the NBA. Dominique Wilkins was robbed of a slam dunk championship when Mike scored a perfect 50 doing the same dunk Dr. J did years before. I doubt Dr. J ever received a perfect 50 for it. Dominique's dunk was much more impressive, and he received a 49.5. Please. Mike got in a fight with Reggie Miller, and only Miller got suspended at first. Only after there was an outcry did Mike get suspended. How are Mike's punches different? Mike elbowed Kevin Johnson to the ground for all to see, and Kevin was called for blocking!

I am not too impressed that the bulls beat the lakers in the NBA finals. Magic was double teamed every game every minute he was in. On top of that, James Worthy and Byron Scott were injured. Magic and Larry never won three championships in a row because the competition, teams, and players in the 80s were much better than the nineties. Luc Longley, Will Perdue, Bill Cartwright, or Bill Wennington stopping Kareem? Ha!

Sport Magazine recently had a piece on the ten greatest moments and ten greatest players ever in the NBA. Mike was ranked number one all time player. Kudos to Mike for mentioning in 'For the love of the game' that to pick a "greatest ever" is impossible because of all the different eras and evolutions of basketball. The nineties bulls were given three of the ten greatest moments in NBA history. This is just more Mike bias. Give me a break. There are hundreds of classic and amazing moments in NBA history. One of the moments picked was Mike beating the Jazz in the final minutes of his last game. He put his hand on Bryon Russel's backside and shoved him out of the way. Then Mike made the game winnig shot. All eyes were on Mike, but the ref did not make the obvious call.

There is also Mike's arrogance. According to him, Wilt Chamberlain was a fluke eventhough Wilt was a great all around player. He made a comment about Magic and Larry reaching a 'certain level of greatness' and that the two were not good on defense. What? Are we talking about the same Larry Bird? Shaquille Oneal is also much better and much improved than Mike gives him credit for. Shaq has turned into a solid defender, passer, and he works hard at both ends of the floor.

Mike's corporate poster boy behavior is laughable. He did ads for AT&T and then MCI. The Wayans family is also split between the two companies. Mike talked about the enviroment in Rayovac ads and then pitches hot dogs? Mike is not the only athlete who will pitch anything and everything to make millions. I wonder if Mike has checked into Nike's labor practices.

Players like Mike and Charles Barkley soured me on the NBA. Charles played like a thug and got away with it because he was a star. Plus, Charles insisted on wearing number 34 at Philadelphia eventhough it was retired for NBA great Billy Cunningham. The star treatment and inflated egos has grown old, and that has turned a lot of people off to sports. I miss the Lakers and Celtics match ups of the 1980s.

RareAir is Rare, This book was soul out very fast.Michael is a rare player and this is a rare book ,One of the Best Photographs of the century,and a great Editer.Walter Iooss,js and Mark Vancil.if you have this book dont "sell" is a Collectible and a rare Collectible . Words from the man."WHEN I STEP ONTO THE COURT,I'M READY TO PLAY.AND IF YOU'RE PLAYING AGAINST ME,THEN YOU'D BETTER BE READY TOO.IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO COMPETE,THEN I'LL DOMINATE YOU.' RareAir is Hot'Hot'Hot'Hot

This is an oversized book with excellent photography, especially given some of the tricky lighting involved. Jordan's comments are candid, although he did write that once he left the game of basketball, he wouldn't come back. Basketball fans can rejoice that in this estimate, Jordan was wrong.

Michael Jordan -- the essence of Air. This book, a unique photgraphic autobiography, takes a very personal look at the superstar. Michael Jordan opens up and describes his life. The spectacular photograpghy and Michael's own thoghts (on both competition and life) compliment each other perfectly. The book is actually like the title says "Michael on Michael". Full-color photographs (more than 100 previously unpublished) and the clockwork of Michael's world provide the reader with a never-before-seen intimate view of the world's greatest athlete.

I have to agree with Michael Erisman's review of this book - well written and informative but it just doesn't have the "ooomph" of Pluto's other basketball book, "Loose Balls." About halfway through the book, it feels like it starts to follow more of a season to season format, instead of continuing to concentrate on the personalities and the players in the league, and the league itself - most everyone knows the Celtics dominated the league during this period and it gets just a lil tedious to be reading about them all the time - a more comprehensive review of the league would have been nice.

"Tall Tales" by Terry Pluto is a fascinating, insightful and wild ride through the NBA's formative years. I'm 25 and have been following the game since the late 80s. I've always had an awareness and appreciation of NBA history with Chamberlain, Russell, Auerbach, Pettit, the Celtics, West, etc, but "Tall Tales" dives deep into the memories of the men who shaped the game, from the inventor of the 24-second shot clock to improvisational refs who made up calls on the spot to running hook shots, daily fist fights and coaches smoking on the bench-it's all here. "Tall Tales" is a masterfully conducted journey with Pluto at the wheel showing you all the great scenery of the NBA's past, but never getting in the way of the insider's stories. From players and coaches to refs and GMs and owners, all the great names from this era contribute (except for Russell, which doesn't surprise after reading some of player's and coach's comments about him). For anyone with even a casual interest in the NBA's glorious, if much ad-libbed, past, this book is a must read.

The players were different, the game was different, the fans and social climate were at polar extremes compared to what we see today. I've always tried to compare players of this generation to the all-time greats, but after reading this book, you can see how it's hard to even compare two greats who played in the same era like Chamberlain and Russell, let alone players from different decades and really, different games. To compare Shaq to Wilt or Magic to Oscar just isn't fair to any of the players because the game changed so much over the years. To compare players from different ages is similar to comparing the NBA to FIBA (international hoops)- it's the same game, but played with such different rules that comparisons do little except expose the differences. Speaking of the Wilt-Russell comparison, several of the book's contributors comment on the age-old Wilt vs. Russell debate which never gets old. A lot of these retired players come across as bitter about the way the game is played today and the kind of money the players are making. Often it comes across as sour grapes which is disappointing because these guys were so unbelievably talented and did so much for the game's development.

If you like the NBA and have any curiosity about the game's forebearers, then you need to check this out. The cast of characters is colorful, insightful and the anecdotes are amusing and entertaining.

Excellent book on the NBA of the 50s and 60s. All the big names are here, Wilt, Russell, West, the Big O and also many names that have been forgotten but shouldn't have been. Bob Pettit, Lenny Wilkens (as a player not coach), Tom Meschery, Al Attles and more. The stories come directly from the players with numerous quotes from different individuals who were actually there. This book is written in the same style as Loose Balls another great book by this author about the ABA. Anyone who thinks the NBA came into being with Michael Jordan should read this book and get a reality check. These are the real founders of the NBA. Current fans think a triple double by a player is a wondrous feat, Oscar Robertson averaged a triple double for a whole season!! If you like basketball and are interested in its history, this is the book for you.

very good book. brillant oral history of the NBA from the beginning until the 1968-1969 season, the end of the Boston Celtic dynasty. A brillant companion piece to Loose Balls the flip side from the ABA version of events.

Terry Pluto is a great writer. He has a knack for pulling together short paragraphs, quotes and descriptions that make his subject come alive. In this book he reflects on the early years of the NBA. The book is written in the same style of "Loose Balls" his classic story of the ABA, yet like the NBA itself it is not as funny nor interesting.

The book covers from the 50's through the early 70's with lots of discussions about the early style of play which was much more physical than the constant whistles and free throws of today's "superstar rules". The section on the referees was especially interesting. It seems that these early games could literally be influenced by the crowds and the "home court advantage.

Of course there are some great insights into the early superstars; Chamberlain, Russell, Cousy, Miken, West, Baylor and Oscar Robertson. Many of these early records will never be touched. In addition to Chamberlains 50.4 scoring average for a season, you have his 100 point game, his 55 rebound game, his 27 rebound average, Oscar Robertson averaging a triple double for a whole 82 game season, and could have had as many as five seasons like that had the stat been a big deal then.

The Celtics early dominance, the Lakers move to LA, and with the league trying to build its fan base, the "home teams" playing cities all over their "region". The racism faced by black players in the 50's and early 60's. All of these quirks, growing pains and oddities are discussed here. For any fan of the game, this book is a must as the best way to learn about the history of the game as we know it today.

While not as good as his depiction of the ABA (which is the best sports book period) this book is nonetheless a great read, entertaining and engaging and interesting to even a causal fan, or someone who wants a glimpse into some American history.

In 1960, when Lenny Wilkens graduated from Providence, he honestly didn't expect to be playing in the NBA - his idea was to go into teaching or another job - he barely even played a season of high school ball. A player like Wilt Chamberlain was coveted by the NBA probably when he was in junior high - a player like Bill Russell was coveted coming out of USF. Lenny Wilkens lasted alot longer than any of them in the NBA becoz he had to work for everything he got - that's the kind of player, the kind of athlete that is missing nowadays and the kind of athlete we will never see again - that's what makes this low key book a great read. Yes, he does play the race angle a little but not being in his shoes, I had no idea what he went through either. You won't go wrong with his book.

Along with John Wooden, who practically invented basketball, Lenny Wilkens is the only man to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach. In one or both of these capacities he has competed against giants of the game from Bill Russell to Michael Jordan to today's superstars such as Allen Iverson. He has experienced the evolution of the NBA from the shoestring operation it was in the 1950s to the global phenomenon that it is today. Wilkens was a publicly prominent African-American during one of this country's most racially turbulent periods. He has risen from childhood poverty to almost incomprehensible wealth.

It is not hard to see why Lenny Wilkens has been so successful as a point guard or coach. In these memoirs he comes across as perceptive and self-effacing - just the qualities that one wants in a point guard or a coach. No chair-thrower, he. And with veteran basketball writer Terry Pluto handling the prose the book is an easy read. Yet herein lies the problem: I would have been happy to read twice as much. The book is weirdly uneven in its treatment of Wilkens' life both on an off the court. One feels like there are huge things going on both in the NBA and in the world that pass by unnoticed or with only cursory mention.

Perhaps this is unfair: afterall the subtitle of the book is "My forty years of surviving in the NBA," not "what it was like to be a public figure in turbulent times." Even the basketball aspects of the book have some of this unevenness, however. To give one example: Wilkens goes into a fair amount of detail describing his first contract negotiation (he received less than $15,000 and had to take a summer job) and a subsequent salary dispute later in his career. Yet late in the book he mentions almost in passing that one of his coaching contracts was for millions. What is it like to have one's income rise like that? What does it do to your family and others around you?

In the end these are quibbles, I suppose. The book is unguarded and revealing in certain aspects, but one gets the sense that the extreme self-discipline necessary to accomplish what Wilkens has also lends itself to a certain degree of self-censorship. I have no reason to believe that Wilkens is anything other than the thoroughly decent man that he appears to be from this book, and if he chooses to emphasize some aspects of his life over others in his memoirs, well, that's his prerogative.

As another reviewer mentioned, Lenny Wilkens does come across as an admirable role model in this book without being a goody two-shoes or a candidate for sainthood. This book would make an excellent gift for young people interested in basketball or simply the life of one remarkable American individual. It might also be a good antidote for fans who believe the key to winning basketball games is throwing chairs.

I was drawn to "Unguarded" primarily because I grew up with the Sonics coached by Lenny Wilkens. I remember the championship season he guided the team to, and have always rued the day he left the Sonics for other coaching endeavors.

This book isn't verbose, and doesn't go into tremendous detail about every aspect of his career, but this style works for Mr. Wilkens. What the reader gets is a nice, classy snapshot of a career that has - as player and coach - encompassed the rise and current decline of the NBA.

I was particularly fascinated with his descriptions of the NBA he played in during the 1960's. The murky arenas, low pay, poor treatment of players in general, the caste system between rookies and veterans, and subtle bigotry were all things Mr. Wilkens highlighted. Most NBA fans would no doubt imagine the league as always being the "showtime", glamorous atmosphere of the Magic-Bird-Jordan era. Mr. Wilkens' description would probably be as surprising to the hard-core fan as it would be to the non-fan.

I also found his opinions on the current state of the game to be fascinating. He laments the "SportsCenter" style of play where everyone's playing for highlight reel material, the "me-first" attitude among players, and the general loss of the art of the game he played. These are all things that have prompted me to quit watching NBA basketball in recent years, so I couldn't help but say a quiet "amen" as I read the book.

One of the troublesome areas I found with the book were when he addressed the topic of racism. In the very first chapter he tackles it head-on, saying that he saw it and experienced it, but then alluding that he doesn't dwell on it or hold grudges. However, when it arises in later chapters - notably in his being left off the Olympic team as a player or when up for coaching the original "Dream Team" - Mr. Wilkens comes off as definitely holding grudges and letting racism play a big factor in his life. It is a paradox I couldn't grapple with personally. I certainly don't deny he was treated horribly in situations based on his race, but I found that it was almost as if he was trying too hard to walk the tightrope between being bitter and handling the issue with class. It was an area of the book that just didn't work, because you couldn't tell whether he had indeed let it go or was still holding grudges on many an situation.

All in all, though, this was a nice memoir. There is nothing scandalous revealed, and he doesn't attack anyone - even in his descriptions of the aforementioned racial treatment or in his criticism of the modern game. Perhaps this also accounts for the puzzling, clumsy way he addresses racism, because while he does criticize a few, he writes very well of those who fired him or cut him over the years.

There is no doubt Mr. Wilkens has led an extraordinary career, and has done so with dignity, modesty, and class. We get our best glimpse of this tremendous man with this book, and I recommend it to fans and non-fans of basketball. The fan will be interested in the history of the game; the non-fan will see that there are still a few class individuals in an otherwise horrendous NBA. Mr. Wilkens has penned a nice book here, and it further confers upon him the status that Seattle and the Northwest is STILL "Lenny's Country".

This memoir is low-key, yet quite emotional. No NBA fan will find it a waste of time. Like many of his generation, Wilkens longs for basketball to be like its past, like the game he played. But that age is gone forever; it only survives in an excellent memoir like this one, or in the work of co-author Terry Pluto.

Roland Lazenby Author of Mindgames, Phil Jackson's Long Strange Journey

I am not a fan of the NBA. I am not even a basketball fan. I bought and read this book because Lenny Wilkens was a member of the St. Louis Hawks of the 1960's when I closely followed the Hawks of Bob Pettit, Cliff Hagan, "The Big Z" Zelmo Beaty, John "Rabbit" Barnhill, Chico Vaughn, and others. I was interested in reading what Wilkens would have to say about the Hawks. According to Wilkens, coaching in the NBA in the '60's consisted of scrimmaging and shooting free throws. Rather than teaching, coaches screamed at players. Wilkens says that one of his Hawks' coaches, Richie Guerin, played favorites namely Bill Bridges and Gene Tormohlen. Wilkens credits his faith in God for directing his life and for providing him with the many blessings that have come his way. Having graduated from Providence with a degree in economics, he had no idea he would be playing in the NBA. He takes the reader through the discrimination he encountered in St. Louis during the '60's and how this was all new to him having been raised in Brooklyn, New York. Wilkens provides us insight of his experiences of playing with St. Louis followed by the trade to Seattle and his two coaching stints there along with coaching at Cleveland, Portland, Atlanta, and now Toronto. Along the way he managed to pass Celtic legend Red Auerbach's career victory total. Both Wilkens and former UCLA Bruins' coach, John Wooden are the only two members elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame as both players and coaches. I rate this book five stars, not because it is a keeper for me. I plan on sending this up to our local high school library so people who are interested in basketball can benefit from this book. In addition, how refreshing to read a book without any profanity. Lenny Wilkens, you have been a credit to the game of basketball and you will touch a number of lives of those who will read your book.

After the tumultuous 2002 season, where the club was in national publications like Sports Illustrated for all the wrong reasons, the Detroit Shock basically had nowhere to go but up in the standings.

Instead of one of those cliche-ridden rebuilding years in 2003, the Shock had one of those remarkable runs that culminated with a WNBA championship, defeating the Los Angeles Sparks in a three game series.

In a brief, yet thorough chronicle of the season, author Vince Prygoski demonstrates how the Shock captivated a region that loves pro basketball. To celebrate the title, an industrial gas holding tank near I-75 was painted like a basketball with the Shock logo.

Under the leadership of coach Bill Laimbeer, the team had a little bit of the swagger from the Pistons' Bad Boys era of Isiah, Vinnie, Dennis and Joe with a nucleus consisting of 2004 Olympian Swin Cash, Finals MVP Ruth Riley, Deanna Nolan and rookie of the year Cheryl Ford. To win the Eastern Conference crown, Detroit defeated Cleveland and Connecticut.

The Sparks won game one by 12 points and seemed in control during a tight game two. Some late heroics at the free-throw line by Nolan, who smoothly drained free throws late in the contest, gave the Shock an exciting 62-61 victory. Detroit won the third game 83-78.

What made it all satisfying was it demonstrated how a true team with a great leader can cap a successful regular season with a storybook ending.

Sports fans and women's history buffs will both enjoy author Vince Prygoski's latest: "Worst To First (A 'Shocking' Tale of Women's Basketball In Motown)." The book presents the story of the Detroit Shock, and the amazing turnaround of the women's basketball team who went from last place to league champions in the course of two seasons.

Those interested in how women have advanced themselves in U.S. society over the last 100 years will appreciate the difficulties faced by female pioneers to take their place in professional sports, as Prygoski provides a quick history of women's basketball in the U.S. Personally, i wish the book had gone into much greater detail about this subject.

The book primarily caters to sports afficionados. Prygoski provides game-by-game coverage of several seasons as the Detroit Shock start off with a jolt, lose their footing, and then come back with a roar in the 2003 Season when they swept the championship. In the final chapter, Prygoski switches to announcer-mode, and gives play-by-play coverage of the most important games. As one who is primarily interested in
women's history, i still found myself caught up in the enthusiasm.

The book is a brief 72 pages, but it is a fun and fascinating read.

With the enthusiasm of a devoted fan and the keen eye for detail of a seasoned journalist, Vince Prygoski takes us along on an amazing journey with the Detroit Shock of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), which in 2003 achieved the remarkable feat of going from cellar dweller to League Champion in just one year.

Vince Prygoski's writing style is reminiscent of the great Dick Schaap's, in his books about the Green Bay Packers' championship years. Both authors have a good feel for the ebb and flow of a long season in pro sports, how it is a test of endurance and will as much as of athletic talent.

Vince shows us all the pieces that have to fall into place-involving both hard work and a lot of luck-in order for a team to be able to make such an amazing turnaround. He also places his story in the larger context of the determined struggle of women's professional sports to gain recognition, media attention, and fan support, including a brief history of women's pro basketball leagues.

This fast moving, crisply written book makes an entertaining addition to any basketball fan's library, or anyone interested in the history of women's pro sports.

--written by Brian Hill, author of the pro football novel OVER TIME

Worst To First: Or A 'Shock'ing Tale Of Women's Basketball In Motown by Vince Prygoski is an intriguing telling of the 2003 Detroit Shock WNBA championship winners. Informatively exploring the history of the Shock's 2003 basketball season, Worst To First compiles the thrilling story and fascinating facts of one of the least expected to succeed teams and their historic victory. Worst To First is very strongly recommended to readers with an interest in the WNBA league of basketball, and most particularly fans of the Shock team and their hallmark year of outstanding basketball triumph.

An exhilarating account of the fast and furious rise of the women's professional basketball team, the Detroit Shock, from last place to national 2003 champions.

Well researched and well written, without getting mired in tiresome detail. Vince Prygoski takes the reader from the beginnings of women's sports in the sixties to women's professional sports, specifically basketball, in 2003. Worst to First is an in depth and intense look at the players, the coaches, the teams and the WNBA (Womens' National Basketball Association). Prygoski follows the inception of the Detroit Shock to their seemingly overnight success: an overnight success that took five years in the making.

Prygoski conveys the excitement of the games, the disappointments and his love for sports without being maudlin or trite. I felt like cheering as Elaine Powell grabs that final rebound in that final game. And yes, now, I do believe in miracles.

Dee Power, Co-author of The Making of a Bestseller: Success Stories of Authors and the Editors, Agents and Bestsellers Behind Them.

the basketball diaries is nothing more than the story of one man and his hardships. There are thousands of stories not unlike Pete Carrol's and although this was well written, is is nothing more than a diary. true writing can be more respected when it is fictional, showing there is an obvious creative process. this is not creative

jim carrol's work brings you into his life of new york city and an addict's fragments of hell. his life story in the basketball diaries tells a tale very few writers could put to page in the way he has; it is a great book in which shows the raw truth on page and recommend to everyone.

In THE BASKETBALL DIARIES, Jim Carroll not only renders easily imaginable (and easily sympathized with) adversities- insecurity, addiction, melancholy, self-loathing, fear, identity crises- to which thousands of American youths are subjected daily, but demonstrates a vast capacity for proficient writing, the sort which swallows the reader's attention like a shark might devour a minnow and holds it long after the last sentence has been read. A phenomenal work! I enthusiastically recommend it to all.

(Also recommended: CATCHER IN THE RYE, by J.D. Salinger; ON THE ROAD, by Jack Kerouac; JOHN BARLEYCORN, by Jack London; CAT'S CRADLE, by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.; THE WOMAN WHO WALKED INTO DOORS, by Roddy Doyle; BIG SUR, by Jack Kerouac.)

in basket ball diaries jim carroll captures the unbearable truth of life as a heroin addict on the streets on new york city...i was completely taken away by the events he described...his word completely mesmorized me...i was captured by his writing....his words imspire the writer in me!!!!

I found this book to be an excellent tool for running youth practices. It explains every phase of the game and makes it easy for you to pass this knowledge on to your players.What is contained in this book are rules you will use for your entire basketball career. A great reference book.

THE GAME AND ITS USEFULNESS

Even the most experienced players will need to review basketball fundamentals if they decide to begin coaching. What is second nature for you is brand new to young players.

You will be doing a better job than 99.9% of youth league coaches if you teach your young players the solid fundamentals in this book. I have coached youth basketball for many years, and this book is the first place I look at the beginning of each season.

Some drills are too complex for very young players, but if you instill the basics found in the early chapters, your youthful players will reap the benefits for the rest of their basketball lives.

Highest recommendation!

This book is aimed at coaches who have had little or no expierence in the game of basketball. It includes all the basics of basketball and some players may benifit from it. The book is for the coach who is concerned about their players overall developement. This book will help the beginner but, it will be of very little use for the more advanced.

The book I read was Championship Ball, by Clair Bee. Championship Ball is about a high school basketball player named Chip. Chip is an extremely good athlete and is a starting basketball player for his high school. Everything was going great until something happened that would change Chips life forever. During a basketball game Chip got tripped up and hit the ground hard. As Chip was writhing in pain, the team trainer came out to assist him. As it turned out Chip had fractured his ankle in several places. It was pretty bad which would mean that he would have to watch the games from the team bench for the rest of the year most likely. As his team goes on without him, they are doing quite well. They are making a championship run, and they are doing quite well, and they eventually get there. Before the big championship game, Chip was begging his coach to let him play. Chip's coach is not sure if Chip is
ready to play just yet, but Chip is by far the best athlete on the team. Will Chip get to play in the big game, or will he have to spend yet another game spectating from the bench.
I really enjoyed the book because it is very suspenseful, and it is hard to put down. It is suspenseful because throughout the book the author does not tell you Chips condition in its entirety, and whether or not he will get to play in the up coming games. There was on thing that I did not like about the book and that is the repetitiveness. It seemed like every time a big game was about to unfold, the same thing happened on the court. Also every time Chip asked his coach to play, he always said no, so you kind of almost expect it.
My strongest reason for recommending this book is that it is very well put together. Also if you are into sports or you like suspense and action, then you will probably love this book because it has all of these aspects.

Championship Ball was a great book! It is mainly about a boy, named Chip Hilton, who goes through his junior year with a broken leg. When he breaks his leg he can't play basketball so, he becomes the team manager. At first, he thinks he will have a terrible year but, later he finds out that he has learned more about basketball with his broken leg than he ever will. He learns about friendships and coaching more in this basketball season than his whole junior year put together. Chip coaches the team all the way to the championship. That's where Chip gets the winning ball. His team tells him about what a great manager he was. That's when Chip finally realizes that he had been the greatest manager ever.
In my opinion Championship Ball rocked my court! Chip Hilton has a great group of friends. His friends never do anything bad and never put anyone down. This book has great tone. The author puts in a great sense of joy throughout the whole book. There are only about a few places that I can point out were the author has used bad tone. This is a great book for boys who want to learn about basketball and yet, there is many great examples of doing what is right. So I say, get it and see what happens to my favorite manager, Chip Hilton.

This fast paced sports book is jam-packed with action and has so many twists and turns that you won't want to stop reading. After losing their star center Chip Hilton, they are forced to use a rookie plus they only have 3 returning members, the Valley Falls Basketball team is sure to be an underdog.

Chip Hilton would normally be playing basketball but before this season he got hurt in a car crash and fractured his foot so he needed a brace. When the basketball season begins he still has the brace, therefore he is not allowed to play... so he becomes the team manager. During the season the team looses some players and is in danger of not making it into the playoffs.

This book reminded me of Matt Christopher's books. They are both series (Chip Hilton sports series). Matt Christopher's books are pretty straight forward, but this book has more twists so it was more fun to read.

An overall great sport fiction book that is suitable for many ages, if you like reading sports books. A great technique that the author uses is when he has the main character not be one of the players but the manager of the team. Overall I would recommend this book to anyone that wants a good fast paced sports story.

There's a good blend of the past and present in this book. In comparing it to the original, I like the updates that have been done without offending us older readers. The spirit of teamwork is still relevant to any age. I still get misty-eyed at the end.

This book is mainly about the life of Grant Hill and his basketball career. Grant Hill's Basketball career started in jr. high and went through high school. Grant Hill got his NBA scholarship in high school, and he now plays for the Pistons. He is not like any other basketball player. When Grant Hill does something good he doesn't rub it in the opponent's face, he just keeps playing. I think that Grant Hill is a very inspiring athlete to younger kids.
I think that Grant Hill would be a cool, and fun person to hangout with because he says in the book that he has a good personality and that he doesn't just thinks about himself or his money. He thinks about his family and his fans. Grant Hill has a very simple life outside of his basketball career. Besides all of his fans wanting autographs! When Grant Hill goes out to eat somewhere he can't eat in peace he always hast to sign autographs for someone. But other than that Grant Hill lives a simple life. Grant Hill is a very inspiring athlete to younger kids, and me!

Overall I thought the book Change the Game was pretty good. One of the things I liked most about the book was that Grant never talked about all the money he made. I also liked how Grant expressed his feelings about problems kids face today. However, one thing I didn't like about the book was it was sort of short. Grant also moved from one topic to the next very quickly. Other than those things the book was good.

This book is basically about Grant's ideals that he learned from his parents. It's a very quick read and if you like Grant Hill, then I would suggest you check this out. If you aren't much of a Grant Hill fan, then don't purchase this.

Grant Hill's book was very enjoyable, and it was very to-the-point. This was the best basketball biography I've read yet. The only problem was that it was over too soon. I finished this book way too quickly.

This book was awesome!!! It is a very good book if you like sports books. However, it does not only have to do with sports. It shows how much Chip Hilton cares about his friend Soapy Smith. I deafinitly reccoment this book!!!

Tre explains almost exactly how I feel about this book. Except for one subject, when Tre says that you should worry about your problems I think that in this situation you should help your friend out first. Because the two of them had been best friends since youth.

Hardcourt Upset is really good sports book. Although it is sometimes hard to keep up with, it is very interesting. It starts off a little slow but when the season starts it is really exciting. The book us a good for those who like sports. Reading this book does not take very long at all. Most of the words are in this book are not hard, and the book is not hard to understand.There are many characters in this in this story. These characters are very interesting and different in many ways, but they all got along well. In this book, the lessons taught are the most meaningful and priceless examples of what is right about life that I have ever read. One of the lessons is to take care of your probems before you worry about someone else's. Almost all of the games are close and exciting. Eventhough the team had many injuries and off court problems, they still well in games and in tournaments.

The Chip Hilton series is a series of sports books. In the early books in the series a young man named Chip Hilton is in High School. Later in the series he is in college. Chip is an extremely bright young man who is also a star in baseball, basketball, and football. Chip is a leader on and off the court. These books teach children about morals and ethics.
In the previous book, called Tournament Crisis, State wins the Holiday Invitational Tournament. However, during the last few minutes of the championship game Chip hurts his knee.
This book, called Hardcourt Upset, begins where the last book left off. Chip is still injured from the tournament. He is sidelined for the first two games after the winter break. Because Chip is such a great athlete and mental leader and cant play, the team loses both these games.
Basketball however, is not his only problem. In Chip's college town of University, there have been several convenience store robberies. His best friend "Soapy" Smith is being accused of committing these crimes. Soapy is taken into custody of the police and detectives to see if the convenience store employees recognize him as the robber. Eventually Soapy gets a chance to explain that he is innocent because he was changing a tire at the time of the robberies. Chip decides to help find the people who helped Soapy change his tire.
At the next basketball game against Tech, Soapy recognizes the people who helped him. The Tech team players tell the detectives they were the ones who helped Soapy change the tire. Now the detectives must look further to find the robbers.
Chip and his pals from college agreed to watch the local convenience stores every night. One night when it was Chip's turn, he saw a man with two flat tires. When he asked the man if he needed help, he responded with a gasp as he heard some police sirens. Then he said in a deep nervous voice, "no, I'll just drive home with the two flats."
Chip thought this was very suspicious and jumped into the trunk of the car. When the driver parked the car in the garage, he jumped out and looked around. He saw a bag full of something he could not make out and got out of there. He called the detectives and they were there with Soapy in ten minutes.
When they rang the doorbell, an old man answered the door. Chip knew immediately that this wasn't the man had been driving the car. He asked, "Do you have a son?" "No, but there is a teenager who lives here." So they woke up the teenager and then asked him a few questions. After a few questions it was clear. This was the thief. He had a red wig and a mask in the garage. They also found all the money stolen from the stores.
Hardcourt Upset was an awesome book. It shows that if you think you can you will succeed in your goals. It also shows that even a small school can be a big school in some things.

Hi.I recently read Cranes Rebound and found that it is a really great book.I am 13 and in the 7th grade and i still liked this book.It definetly inspired me to go and read more books by Alison Jackson!

Crane's Reboud was a real good book! It is about boy that goes to basketball camp . a lot of things happend that are real funny . People in my class even liked it. Cheak out this other book by Alison jackson ,My Brother the Star.

You should read Crane's Rebound. It is an exciting book! Once you start to read it you can't put it down. It's about this boy at basketball camp that keeps getting in trouble with other kids. You won't even guess what happened there. I really liked this book and that's why I gave it five stars. Kids in my class even liked it a lot.

Crane's Rebound is so cool because Crane is your normal average basketball freak. He was just chosen to go to a basketball camp. His freind,Bobby, is going too. He doesn't like her much. Jake is a bully and wanted to go out with Bobby! So Crane had to make sure he wouldn't get them into any more trouble.