Sports Basketball

America's favorite sportswriter teams up with Red Auerbach, the most successful and admired coach in basketball history, to tell the best stories of a legendary life.

The experiment was dreamed up by two fathers, one white, one black. What would happen, they wondered, if they mixed white players from an elite Seattle private school and black kids from the inner city on a basketball team? The team's season unfolded like a perfectly scripted sports movie: The ragtag group of boys gelled together to win the league championship. The experiment was deemed a success. But was it?

The author, a native of Philadelphia and an alumnus, as was Wilt Chamberlain, of Overbrook High School, spent four years researching and interviewing the most important people in Wilt's life. The result is a capturing of Wilt's personality and thoughts that relatively few people other than family and closest friends ever knew.

In this vivid and lively account, Thomas J. Whalen chronicles Russell's memorable last season and the Celtics' dazzling triumph. Set against the backdrop of the tumultuous 1960s and Boston's own turbulent and bitter struggles with race, he tells the fascinating story of how an improbable championship team overcame poor health, indifferent fans, disruptive personnel changes, and internal morale problems. Whalen recounts how Russell transformed the game of basketball during his remarkable career and revisits the outspoken superstar's conflicted relationship with Boston.

The inspiring story of Isaiah Austin, the man who captured our hearts when he was made the honorary NBA draft pick after a shocking diagnosis ended his professional basketball career before he could even step onto the court.

The NBA in 2022 is not like it was during the time of Oscar Robertson, Earving “Magic” Johnson, or even John Stockton and Allen Iverson. These names are recognizable to most NBA fans, but if you are unfamiliar, the commonality between these three titans of basketball is that they were the greatest and most influential point guards (PG) of their respective eras. Another trait that all of these men shared is their lasting influence on how the position is played to this day.

By the Fall of 1966, Syracuse had become a city at the crossroads–literally and figuratively. Situated at the geographic heart of New York and the intersection of two all-new interstate highways, the city found itself on a collision course with not only time, but circumstance.

LeBron James is a basketball legend. In 2016 he led the Cleveland Cavaliers to win their first ever National Basketball Association (NBA) Championship. Before that, the basketball superstar - known to fans as King James - had already won two other NBA championships and two Olympic gold medals. He's been in movies, on TV, and on magazine covers. He's naturally talented, but he still works incredibly hard to stay on top of his game. Learn more about James's career, his routine before and after games, and his incredible successes both on and off the court.

Erika Templeton is a #1 WNBA draft pick who must navigate the often crazy world of professional basketball, as her life intersects with sketchy agents, unscrupulous coaches, and shady media.

Before she became one of the most famous basketball players on the planet, before she began speaking out for prison reform, Maya Moore was just a kid. In this chapter book biography by acclaimed author Andrew Maraniss, listeners learn more about the life and work of Maya Moore—from growing up with a single mother in Jefferson City, Missouri, to her journey to becoming a star player at UCONN and the WNBA, to her social justice fighting for prison reform and speaking up for Black Lives Matter.

Before he became one of the most famous basketball players on the planet, before he began speaking out for justice, LeBron James was just a kid. In this chapter book biography by acclaimed author Andrew Maraniss, listeners learn more about the life and work of LeBron James—from growing up with a single mother in Akron, Ohio, to his journey to the NBA and ten NBA championships, to his social justice work creating I PROMISE and speaking up for Black Lives Matter.

Out of the greatest dynasty in American professional sports history, an intimate story of race, mortality, and regret. About to turn 90, Bob Cousy, the Hall of Fame Boston Celtics captain who led the team to its first six championships on an unparalleled run, has much to look back on in contentment. But he has one last piece of unfinished business. The last pass he hopes to throw is to close the circle with his great partner on those Celtic teams, fellow Hall of Famer Bill Russell, now 84.

June 19, 2016: the greatest moment in Cleveland sports history, when the Cleveland Cavaliers won the NBA Finals and broke the Cleveland Curse. It was the triumph fans had been waiting 52 years for, and it wasn't easy to get there - but thanks to LeBron James, an audacious plan to build a winning team, a couple of maverick GMs, and an incredible community of fans, it happened, and 2016 saw the birth of a new Cavaliers dynasty.

After winning 3 MVP awards and leading the Chicago Bulls to 3 consecutive National Basketball Association championships, Jordan suffered the overwhelming tragedy of his father's death. Leaving the NBA to pursue a baseball career in 1993, Jordan made an inspiring return to the Bulls at the end of the 1994-95 season, proving to the world that he hadn't lost a step. Chicago Tribune columnist Bob Greene's touching, detailed biography shows us the man behind the legend.

John Feinstein - The Friends I've Made provides a compelling view of sports and life from the incomparable perspective and recall of multiple New York Times best-selling author John Feinstein and five individuals who John has covered, followed and now considers friends: David Feherty, Tom Izzo, Steve Kerr, Mary Carillo, and Mike Krzyzewski.

Before I ever dribbled a ball, I loved watching basketball. I was captivated by the amazing skill and athleticism of the players I watched on TV. Whenever I think back to some of those moments, I feel like a kid who is falling in love with basketball all over again. My hope is that through this book, whether you’re young or old, you too can experience that feeling.

Buffalo, Home of the Braves chronicles the rise and fall of the National Basketball Association franchise in Western New York that existed from 1970-1978. The team roster included such key players and personalities as Bob McAdoo, Dr. Jack Ramsay, Randy Smith, Paul Snyder, Jack Marin, Gar Heard, John Shumate, and Ernie DiGregorio. The Braves made history with their up-tempo style of play and had three Rookies of the Year. This award-winning book highlights each of those memorable seasons, including the playoffs. 

Far beyond simply being a sports league, the NBA has become an entertainment and pop culture juggernaut. From all kinds of team logo merchandise to officially branded video games and players crossing over into reality television, film, fashion lines, and more, there is an inseparable line between sports and entertainment. But only four decades ago, this would have been unthinkable.

Kobe is one of the most well-loved and also most hated players in the game. Everything you need to know about basketball's greatest is in this book! Honor the memory of Kobe Bryant by learning about his amazing life! The tragic death of Kobe Bryant shocked the entire world. He was a household name, known and admired even by people who don't care much about basketball. Now is the perfect time to look back at his life and career. This book aims to provide a complete overview of Kobe Bryant's impressive career and the challenges that he had to overcome.

From the second he entered a basketball gym at seven years old, people knew Luka Doncic was going to be special. He was so dominant in his age group that he was moved up multiple age groups just so people would have a chance to compete with him. The Wonderboy of the Euroleague has been taking the NBA by storm and leaving a wake of stunned critics in his path. For the first time, hear the complete story about Luka Doncic's rise to the NBA. From early days shooting at halftimes of his dad's games to becoming the NBA's most promising star, you'll get the full story.