Sports Basketball

Paul Westhead was teaching high school in his native Philadelphia when he was named La Salle University’s men’s basketball coach in 1970. By 1980 he was a Los Angeles Lakers assistant, soon to be hired as head coach, winning an NBA title with Hall of Fame center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and rookie guard Magic Johnson.

Jon and Jake share a passion for basketball, but their experiences on the school team could not be more different. Superstar, Jon, is allowed to make mistakes and play all game. Benchwarmer, Jake, barely sees the court. Jake's resentment for Jon and his coach continues to grow until Jake can't stand the unfairness of it all and decides he's going to do something about it. To make matters worse, Jon and Jake's parents are friends.

Porter Moser, one of the most inspiring and driven Division I basketball coaches today, offers a practical, motivating guide to help build character, transform failure into success, find purpose, and live an authentic life through energy and positivity. Porter Moser knows what it’s like to live and work with determination, passion, and grit. He also knows what it’s like to keep front and center the core values of faith, family, honesty, and integrity.

Colleges provide over $12 billion in financial aid and scholarships annually. Of this, $2.7 billion is awarded each year for athletic scholarships. Only six percent of high school athletes compete for that $2.7 billion. Score College Scholarships is produced from the perspective of a college applicant, who received multiple offers and earned six scholarships. With the help of this book, student-athletes, and their parents will learn the most effective strategies to get noticed by college coaches, balance academic and athletic considerations, and choose the "best fit" school.

Elijah Thomas knows one thing better than anyone around him: basketball. But when a sinister street gang, Blood Street Nation, wants him and his team members to wear the Nation’s colors in the next big tournament, Elijah’s love of the game is soon thrown into jeopardy. The boys gather their courage and take a stand against the gang, but at a terrible cost. Now Elijah must struggle to balance hope and fear, revenge and forgiveness, to save his neighborhood. For help, he turns to the most unlikely of friends: Banks, a gruff ex–military man, and his beautiful and ambitious daughter.

As the revenues generated by big-time college sports continue to skyrocket, virtually all of the debate involves whether (and how much) student-athletes should be paid for play. Kenneth L. Shropshire and Collin D. Williams Jr., argue that "student" has to come first: the focus should be on prioritizing a meaningful education. They draw on new research to reveal that it has become increasingly difficult for college athletes to balance school and sports, much less a social life, leading to serious economic, professional, and emotional consequences for young people.

Cassidy Sanderson is a scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers - the only female scout in the major leagues. Hard-living and hard-drinking, a gifted athlete herself, she takes pride in successfully competing in a male world. But recently she has been losing prospects on the sign, and her job security is teetering on the edge. When she gets a tip from a close friend and fellow scout about Alberto Cruz, a young phenom in the Dominican Republic, she impulsively catches a flight to Santo Domingo - even though it is out of her territory....

Twenty years before women’s soccer became an Olympic sport and two decades before the formation of the WNBA, the ’76 US women’s basketball team laid the foundation for the incredible rise of women’s sports in America at the youth, collegiate, Olympic, and professional levels.

In Jason Kidd: The Inspiring Story of One of Basketball's Greatest Point Guards, you will learn the inspirational story of one of basketball's premier point guards. Jason Kidd was easily one of the best point guards to play the game of basketball throughout the 2000s. With an extraordinary ability to pass the ball at precisely the right time, Kidd was like Steve Nash in that he made the teammates around him fundamentally better.

It seems unlikely that James Naismith, who grew up playing "Duck on the Rock" in the rural community of Almonte, Canada, would invent one of America's most popular sports. But Rob Rains and Hellen Carpenter's fascinating, in-depth biography James Naismith: The Man Who Invented Basketball shows how this young man - who wanted to be a medical doctor, or if not that, a minister (in fact, he was both) - came to create a game that has endured for over a century.

Hoop Dreams Fulfilled is a detailed, first-person account of an athlete's failures and struggles on his way to playing professional basketball. Through in-depth experiences, Tyson Hartnett describes his journey playing basketball starting in fourth grade, through high school, college, and eventually professionally overseas. He profiles his mistakes and failures and his eventual redemption.

Links the history of race relations to the history of basketball by reviewing the era of the first Black teams, the first integration of teams, and the innovations that Black players have brought to the game.

Spanning the course of 39 frantic days, Josh Swade embarked on a fanatical journey that would take him across the country. His nearly religious obsession brought him face-to-face with NBA players Paul Pierce and Steve Nash, NBA greats Jerry West and Larry Brown, and many others who knew the importance of this relic. With multiple hurdles ahead of him, will Josh be able to find the money and support to purchase the rules before it's too late?

One of basketball's grittiest point guards, Jeremy Lin had an incredible journey to get to where he is today as a highly-capable starting point guard. Despite his successes, Jeremy Lin remains incredibly humble and a role model for aspiring basketball players around the world. He has become a global icon, and you'll hear the inspirational story of what makes Jeremy so great and why it should be no surprise why he is so successful today.

In Fred VanVleet: The Inspiring Story of One of Basketball’s Underdogs, you'll learn the inspirational story of one of basketball's underdogs, Fred VanVleet. Despite going undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft, Fred VanVleet carved quite a name for himself as a key member of the 2019 NBA champion Toronto Raptors. It's hard to believe that just a few years before that historic run, VanVleet was chipping away at finding a role in the league. Much has changed since his first year in the league, as VanVleet is now considered one of the most important pieces of the Raptors' rotation.

Stephen Curry is a star player for the Golden State Warriors. Engaging text and critical-thinking questions will make this book a slam dunk with young basketball fans.

In Max Scherzer: The Inspiring Story of One of Baseball's All-Star Pitchers, you will learn the story of one of baseball's best pitchers, Max Scherzer. Max Scherzer has been one of the best pitchers since entering the pros in 2006. At the time of this writing, Scherzer has been selected as an All-Star eight times, won three Cy Young Awards, pitched two no-hitters, and notably won the World Series with the Washington Nationals in 2019. Scherzer has carved out quite the legacy for himself, and will go down as one of the best pitchers in modern history of the game.

Caitlin Clark, an undeniable force in women's basketball, has transformed the sport with her incredible talent, determination, and charisma. From her early successes to the challenges she faces today, Clark's journey is a testament to the evolving landscape of women's basketball. Her impact on the WNBA is profound, promising to reshape the future of the league and inspire a new generation of athletes.

Newly revised through the end of the 2022-2023 season, Ja Morant: The Inspiring Story of One of Basketball’s All-Star Point Guards explores the inspirational story of one of basketball's latest star point guards, Ja Morant. Since being selected with the second overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft, Ja Morant has consistently impressed fans across the league. So much so, that he won the 2020 Rookie of the Year Award. In his rookie season, Ja finished averaging 17.8 points per game, along with 7.3 assists per game.

Have you ever wondered how Kevin Durant became one of the best basketball players on the court today? Both on and off the court, Kevin Durant has provided inspiration for millions since he first blazed onto NBA courts with his unique style of playing. In this Kevin Durant life story, you’ll discover the most comprehensive biography of the man behind the legend yet. A full biography of his career from high school to the NBA is covered including the highs and lows, along with some explosive insider information never seen before.