Hoops Books

[Skybox]

I just got "Wonder Boy" by Tim McMahon about Luka Doncic...McMahon is really funny and insightful on Windhorst's pod...made me think to ask & share:

My favorite hoops books...

Heaven is a Playground, by Rick Telander...great summer diary of NYC playground hoops with a pack of teenage playground barnstormers, including Bernard King

Don't Put Me in Coach, by Mark Titus...hilarious narrative of his time as an Ohio State deep bench player collecting DNP's, etc. Refers to star Evan Turner as "the Villain". Highlights are his announcement to the press that he WILL, in fact be returning to OSU next year (to great laughter) and his nemesis, "the Trillion", which is a one (minute played) followed by all zeroes. Really clever, funny, self-deprecating dude.

"The Art of a Beautiful Game" by Chris Ballard...just thinking about it makes me want to re-read it, fascinating breakdowns of particular players' signature skill. One chapter is about Dwight Howard's shotblocking. Another is Shane Battier's defensive preparation...Kobe Bryant's killer instinct, etc

"The Mamba Mentality: How I Play", by Kobe Bryant...the one he wrote not the unauthorized bio. He really was a savage...wired differently

I'm sure there are many more, these jump immediately to mind.

[eyriq]

The two basketball books I've read are The Book of Basketball and Basketball on Paper.

[Skybox]

Should’ve guessed anything remotely literary would die quickly with you knuckleheads.

[JoshuaPotter]

Should’ve guessed anything remotely literary would die quickly with you knuckleheads.

Honestly I haven't read basketball books for what? 30 years?

That being said. What is your favorite?

Low key, I do compete in sports still. Are any of these reads good at explaining mentality? While on the surface I try to have a buddy buddy mentality, when the clock starts, all that must go away. If I win by a million points, so be it.

[AdamTheGreek]

Making Magic - Pat Williams’ basically diary that every Magic fan should read/own. It’s the genesis of our existence. He was an entrepreneur-minded genius. And it’s very easy to see why Alex Martins and the DeVos family have failed his vision.

Loose Balls - Terry Pluto’s ABA book. Story after story. Entertaining as hell.

7 Seconds or Less - Jack McCallum doesn’t make bad basketball books. This is a great one on the Nash era Suns.

Giannis - Mirin Fader. I have yet seen a book/doc that covers Gianni’s story as good as her book does overall.

The Breaks of the Game - David Halberstam covers the ‘80 Blazers but it talks a lot about the title winning team from a few seasons prior. It covers Walton and is so good some of the characters in this book.

Dream Team - Jack McCallum. Since the book came out, a lot of docs and literature has copied or mirrored stories that came from this book.

[FFBlitzace]

Should’ve guessed anything remotely literary would die quickly with you knuckleheads.

Hey, I read, just not much in nonfiction. The only basketball book I've read is Bill Simmons The Book of Basketball and I liked it a whole lot.

[MasterGMer]

Finished Giannis' book "The improbable rise of the NBA MVP" this summer

I have Luka's " wonder boy" also and reading it now.

Love Basketball books. Having a lot of fun

[ibraheim718]

Heaven is a playground.

[eyriq]

Should’ve guessed anything remotely literary would die quickly with you knuckleheads.

Hey, I read, just not much in nonfiction. The only basketball book I've read is Bill Simmons The Book of Basketball and I liked it a whole lot.

Great minds think alike!

[PigsEatHam]

The Sense of Wonder by Matthew Salesses is a literary novel that is based loosely on Lin-sanity. (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61030525-the-sense-of-wonder)

[Skybox]

Reading Tim McMahon's book on Luka now...lots of Mosely references - apparently beloved by Luka and KP, but not all flattering...some feel he was politicking for Carlisle's job, some don't but acknowledge that befriending stars is a good move for an aspiring head coach. Players around the league hearing Luka constantly say "that's my guy" cant help but take notice (even if Luka himself isn't happening). Carlisle, knowing he's not a "Player's Coach", and sensing a rebellion brewing, basically assigned Mose to be his liaison to the players - which is pretty telling. But he also privately questioned Mose's X's and O's (on both ends). Fascinating stuff.

[Tarheel]

Making Magic - Pat Williams’ basically diary that every Magic fan should read/own. It’s the genesis of our existence. He was an entrepreneur-minded genius. And it’s very easy to see why Alex Martins and the DeVos family have failed his vision.

Came here to say this - great book on how the Magic came to be.

I also enjoyed Boys Amongst Men by Jonathan Abrams. Good book about the era when players were being drafted straight out of high school (Dwight, Kobe, LeBron etc).

[BadMofoPimp]

I read over 50 books a year so I don't remember the names of all the books off-hand but I the past few years I have read

Becoming Kareem, Growing up on and off the court
God and Starbucks: An NBA Superstar's Journey Through Addiction and Recovery

I do remember Michael Jordan talking about envisioning in his mind what he would do right before he does it on the court sometimes a split second before making a play. After hearing that, I used this technique many times on the court to great success at times. Really, you are re-enacting your muscle movements you created with your mind.

I patterned my game after watching Joe Dumars when young as I was taught defense first but got my shot based off his fadeaway as well as his standard form which was my goto shot which I never missed from up to 10 feet out. I remember during his rookie season, Allen Iverson crossed over Jordan badly during a Sunday afternoon game and was blown away. Went straight to the courts and practiced cross over for hours. I can't say how many times I made people go the wrong way but on the street courts, would always make people go crazy when someone breaks their ankles. I had times at my peak where I could get to the hoop when I wanted unless the defender was too good.

[Skybox]

My "guidebook" was a thin paperback that was, I think, called "Bird on Basketball" ...lots of good tips when I was really just starting to play regularly and taking it seriously

Someone mentioned fiction...Sooley by John Grisham was great and very readable for you dummies...kind of a Len Bias parallel, with a Giannis-type lead.