Sports Basketball

Did Wilt Chamberlain really score 100 points by himself in a single game? Was the 1985 NBA Draft really fixed to make sure the New York Knicks got the first pick? Was Michael Jordan really let go by his high school basketball team? Get ready to discover the real stories behind these and other great basketball myths and legends!

Many of the greatest basketball players have earned funny, odd, or interesting nicknames during their careers. Listen to find out the stories behind basketball’s legendary nicknames.

What does fashion have to do with the game of basketball? More than meets the eye! From shoes, shorts, and headbands to hairstyles and body art, discover the evolution and influence of basketball fashion both on and off the court.

How did pro basketball's biggest stars become the greatest players of all time? By playing the game in ways no one had ever done before! Discover the magic that propelled players like Julius “Dr. J” Irving, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Maya Moore, and others to superstardom.

Hit a buzzer beater! Throw up a brick! Make it rain! Discover the meaning of these b-ball terms and more in Basketball Talk. This action-packed nonfiction book—created in partnership with Sports Illustrated Kids—presents wacky lingo and puzzling phrases from the game of basketball.

On opening night, a green dragon flies down to the Orlando Magic’s court on a zip line. At the Phoenix Suns’ arena, a goofy gorilla leaps off a trampoline and slams a big-time dunk. On the Chicago Bulls’ court, a fuzzy red bull shoots T-shirts into the crowd. Basketball fans love to laugh and cheer at the shenanigans of these and many other colorful mascots. Have a blast learning about the zaniest basketball mascots!

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Dan Hurley is one of the most famous head coaches in America today—in any sport. He returned the UConn Huskies men’s basketball team to their rightful place among the nation’s elite, winning back-to-back NCAA Championships, and he did it with uncommon passion. His...

A list of legends is significant not only for who makes the list, but who gets left off of it. If there are no obvious omissions, then the list of candidates was probably less than legendary in the first place. Not so in the case of the Syracuse University Orangemen. Calling roll on Syracuse’s all-time basketball greats can take up the greater part of a day. The school produced its first All-American, Lewis Castle, in 1912. More recently, Carmelo Anthony, one of the best freshmen to ever play college basketball, led the 2003 Orangemen to the school’s first NCAA championship.

When the clock is ticking down and the stakes are high, some players seize the moment and make themselves legends. From buzzer-beating half-court shots to thunderous last-second dunks, some of basketball's greatest moments are chronicled in vivid fashion here. You've got a courtside seat to the action.

“I’m proud to call George a mentor and a friend.” —Michael Jordan Orphaned at just thirteen in a still-segregated Washington, D.C., George Raveling was introduced to a relatively unpopular sport—basketball—in high school. The rest, as they say, is history. Raveling went on to become...

Ken Rappoport’s Tales from the North Carolina Tar Heels Locker Room is a compilation of the best notes, quotes, and anecdotes from North Carolina lore. Meet a coach nicknamed 'Bloody Neck', a player called 'The Blind Bomber', and a team known as the 'White Phantoms'. And, of course, there is Michael Jordan. Tales from the North Carolina Tar Heels Locker Room captures the anecdotes and memories that have defined this team from the early 20th century up through their success in the 2000s.

Behind every big-time basketball record is a dramatic story of how a player or team achieved greatness on the court. From the greatest three-point shooters to the winningest teams of all time, here are the record-setting moments that will keep basketball fans tuned in for more.

It is often said that while Dr. James Naismith invented basketball in Massachusetts, the sport was raised and ultimately came of age in the high schools of Indiana, the state where politics, religion, and sweet corn fall in line behind the game played with the round orange ball. Tales from Indiana High School Basketball

Instant New York Times Bestseller! A news-making and electrifying portrait of sports phenomenon Caitlin Clark, whose dramatic ascendance in college basketball and now in the WNBA has captured the attention of media and fans unlike any other female team-sport athlete in history—by award-winning...

March Madness is in full swing, and there are only four teams let in the NCAA basketball championship. The heavily favored Michigan Spartans and the underdog Troy Trojans meet in the first game in the seminfinals, and it's there that the fates of Malcolm, Roko, Crispin, and M.J. intertwine. As the last moments tick down on the game clock, you'll learn how each player went from being a kid who loves to shoot hoops to a powerful force in one of the most important games of the year. Which team will leave the Superdome victorious?

NBA journalist Yaron Weitzman lays out the high stakes drama happening inside the Lakers' organization as they try to juggle the warring priorities between LeBron James and the Buss family. When LeBron James signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, it looked like a match made in heaven. Here...

Elena Delle Donne made her WNBA debut in 2013 and earned the Rookie of the Year award. It was just a glimpse of what was to come. Delle Donne has been an All-Star six times, and she led the Washington Mystics to a championship win in 2019. Get the highlights of Delle Donne’s amazing career and learn about her community involvement off the court.

James Harden was a top pick in the 2012 NBA draft, but he wasn’t an instant superstar. Harden worked tirelessly to improve his skill. His dedication paid off, both for him and the Houston Rockets.

Embiid made his NBA debut in 2016 and was named to the All-Star Game in 2018. That same year, he became one of just seven players with 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 200 blocks in his first 100 games. Discover how Embiid overcame injuries to become one of the NBA’s brightest stars.

Leonard was just 20 years old when he was first drafted in the NBA. Since then, he has had many triumphs, and has helped lead his teams to greatness. Discover more about Leonard's career highlights in this exciting biography in the Stars of Sports series.