Sports Biographies Basketball

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.

Learn the Inspiring Story of the Atlanta Hawks' All-Star Guard, Trae Young! In Trae Young: The Inspiring Story of One of Basketball’s Star Guards, you'll learn the inspirational story of one of basketball's rising All-Stars, Trae Young. Young embodies many of the key characteristics of the modern guard: Quick on his feet, pin-point accuracy from beyond the arc, fierce competitor, and dynamic driver to the rim.

Learn the Inspiring Story of the Denver Nuggets' Star Center Nikola Jokic! In Nikola Jokic: The Inspiring Story of One of Basketball's Rising Stars, you will learn the incredible story of one of basketball's most exciting young centers, Nikola Jokic. Once just a second round pick in the 2014 Draft, Jokic has quickly become the future of the Denver Nuggets franchise, most recently securing his first All-Star selection. He is one of the best recent international players to transition their game successfully into the NBA.

In Kristaps Porzingis: The Inspiring Story of One of Basketball's Most Versatile Big Men, you'll learn the inspirational story of one of basketball's premier big men, Kristaps Porzingis. Since joining the NBA, Kristaps Porzingis has quickly emerged as one of the league's best forward centers due to his abilities on both sides of the floor. The trade of Carmelo Anthony in the 2017 offseason marks the beginning of Porzingis' chapter as the go-to player for the Knicks franchise.

In Pete Maravich: The Inspiring Story of One of Basketball's Most Skilled Ball-Handlers, you will learn the inspirational story of one of basketball's greatest point guards, Pete Maravich. While we are blessed in today's game to observe the remarkable play of point guards such as Stephen Curry and Chris Paul, Pistol Pete was one of the first point guards to display many of the key ball-handling skills that we observe on a nightly basis in the game today.

In Paul George: The Inspiring Story of One of Basketball's Most Dynamic Small Forwards, you will learn the inspirational story of one of basketball's premier small forwards, Paul George. Since joining the NBA, Paul George has quickly emerged as one of the league's best small forwards, leading the Indiana Pacers to reemerge as contenders in the growingly competitive Eastern Conference.

In Marc Gasol: The Inspiring Story of One of Basketball's Most Dominant Centers, you will learn the inspirational story of one of basketball's premier centers. Since entering the NBA, Marc Gasol has created a name for himself as one of the best international basketball players to play in the NBA at the center position.

In Scottie Pippen: The Inspiring Story of One of Basketball's Greatest Small Forwards, you'll listen to the inspirational story of basketball's star, Scottie Pippen. This short unauthorized biography of Scottie Pippen highlights the greatest moments of his career. Scottie Pippen was one of the underdog stories of the NBA when he first entered the league, drafted surprisingly as the fifth overall pick by the Seattle Supersonics before being traded on draft night to the Chicago Bulls.

In Draymond Green: The Inspiring Story of One of Basketball's Best All-Around Forwards, you will learn the inspirational story of one of basketball's premier forwards, Draymond Green. Since entering the league as the 35th pick of the 2012 NBA Draft, Draymond Green has crafted his way as one of the best in the game on both ends of the floor. With a high degree of skill on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor, Draymond played a key role in the Warriors' 2015 championship run.

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.

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.

In Brandon Ingram: The Inspiring Story of One of Basketball’s Star Forwards, you'll learn the inspirational story of one of basketball's rising star small forwards, Brandon Ingram. Since being traded to the New Orleans Pelicans in the Lakers' deal for all-star Anthony Davis, Ingram has shown noticeable improvement and maturation in his ability to dominate a basketball game. In just his first year as a Pelican, Ingram not only made his first all-star selection, but also ended the year being named the league's Most Improved Player.

In Aaron Gordon: The Inspiring Story of One of Basketball's Rising Star Forwards, you will learn the incredible story of one of basketball's most exciting young forwards, Aaron Gordon. As the fourth overall pick in the 2014 Draft, Aaron Gordon has become a prominent piece of the Magic franchise as they continue rebuilding after the Dwight Howard era. Now entering his fifth season, expectations are the highest they have ever been for Aaron Gordon with his new four-year contract he signed in the summer of 2018.

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.

Learn the Inspiring Story of the New Orleans Pelican's Sharp Shooter, JJ Redick! In JJ Redick: The Inspiring Story of One of Basketball's Greatest Shooters, you will learn the incredible story of one of basketball's greatest shooters, JJ Redick. Redick's place in basketball history started early on as he seized the attention of college basketball fans across the country as the leader of the Duke Blue Devils. Since being drafted by the Orlando Magic in 2006, Redick has solidified himself as one of the league's premier sixth man.

Russell Westbrook is a man who requires no validation from others. He doesn't need you to believe in him. He was 5'8", 140 pounds with over-sized hands and size 14 feet as a 10th grader and sat the bench until his junior year. He is now a perpetual NBA All-Star, an Olympic gold medalist, and one of the best basketball players in the world. The story of how he got here is a tale of triumph.

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.

The college basketball scandals of 1951 were to basketball what the 1919 Black Sox scandals were to baseball - a loss of innocence, after which the game would be permanently tarnished, its relationship to power and big money firmly established. In Scandals of '51, Charley Rosen identifies all the major figures - including players, coaches, gangsters, clergymen, politicians - that made up the elaborate network that controlled the outcomes to many games or protected those who did so.

In The Jump, one of America's great sports writers follows high school phenom Sebastian Telfair on his quest for NBA stardom - and exposes all that big-time sports in America has become, the good and the bad. Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James - all became NBA superstars without playing a day of college ball. In 2004, Coney Island's 5-foot-11 Telfair became the first small player ever to jump straight from high school to the NBA when he signed contracts with the Portland Trail Blazers and Adidas worth $25 million.

Lloyd Daniels learned to hoop on the playgrounds of Brooklyn and Queens during the 1980s. "Swee'pea" they called him. His rep on the court traveled all the way to the Bronx and across the country, earning him enthusiastic comparisons to the likes of Magic Johnson. Swee'pea was sure to make it to the big time and out of a New York City where drugs and violence had gripped many of its neighborhoods. Eventually he did, leaving the city's asphalt courts for the shiny hardwoods of NCAA programs.