Learn the Inspiring Story of the Portland Trailblazers' Star Guard, Damian Lillard! Read on your PC, Mac, smartphone, tablet or Kindle device! One of many riveting reads in the Basketball Biography Books series by Clayton Geoffreys. In Damian Lillard: The Inspiring Story of One of Basketball's Star Guards, you will learn the incredible story of one of basketball's greatest guards, Damian Lillard. Since being drafted by the Portland Trailblazers with the sixth overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, Lillard has dazzled for Portland fans. In his time thus far in the league, Lillard has consistently been one of the best point guards in the entire league, and helped Portland contend every year in the difficult Western Conference. In the 2019 off-season, the franchise awarded him for his hard work, with a four-year extension effective in the 2021-2022 season. Pick up this unauthorized biography today to learn the inspiring story behind superstar guard, Damian Lillard! This is the perfect basketball book for kids or basketball fans of all ages. Here is a preview of what is inside this Damian Lillard biography book: Childhood and Early Life High School Career College Career Getting Drafted, Winning the Rookie of the Year Award, All-Star Seasons Franchise Player, the Snub Years, The Elite Damian Lillard Damian Lillard's Personal Life Lillard's Impact on Basketball Legacy and Future An excerpt from this Damian Lillard biography: Historically and no matter what era you look at, the point guard has always been arguably the most critical position out on the court when you talk about the NBA brand of basketball. Some of the greatest championship teams in the history of the league had a point guard that allowed them to perform well on both ends of the floor. The '50s and '60s Boston Celtics had the services of Bob Cousy, who is regarded as the pioneer at the point guard position because of his excellent ball-handling skills and passing ability. The '60s and early '70s era of the Los Angeles Lakers thrived under the hot shooting and playmaking of Jerry West, who was so good that he was used as the model for the NBA's logo. The 1971 championship team of the Milwaukee Bucks had Oscar Robertson, who was putting up triple-doubles at a rapid pace a few years back when he was still in his prime handling the point and passing the ball to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. And who could ever disregard Magic Johnson, the man responsible for the Los Angeles Lakers dynasty of the '80s and the playmaker regarded as the best to play at his position? The '90s and 2000s also saw their share of terrific point guards who may not have won titles because of the dominance of teams like the Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls, Shaq, and the Big Three San Antonio Spurs that revolved around Tim Duncan. Such all-time great point guards are Penny Hardaway, Kevin Johnson, Jason Kidd, and Steve Nash. Did you like this short excerpt? Then scroll up and buy a copy of this Damian Lillard biography today. Tags: Damian Lillard biography, Portland Trailblazers basketball, Damian Lillard book, books for basketball fans

Learn the Incredible Story of Basketball Superstar John Wall!Read on your PC, Mac, smartphone, tablet or Kindle device!In John Wall: The Inspiring Story of One of Basketball's Fastest Point Guards, you'll read about the inspirational story of basketball's rising superstar point guard, John Wall. John Wall has emerged as a top ten point guard in the NBA amongst the likes of Chris Paul, Steve Nash, Russell Westbrook, and Rajan Rondo has definitely been a surprise. From once struggling to behave in school and on the basketball court to being benched by his high school basketball coach, John Wall has come a long way since being drafted as the first overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. The rest is history as the Washington Wizards have emerged to become one of the top teams in the East. This year, the Wizards won their first playoff series in six years, defeating the Chicago Bulls in five games.John Wall is easily one of the most dynamic point guards to play the game of basketball. From flashy crossovers to speedy races down the court on the fastbreak, John Wall has a bright basketball career ahead of him.It will be exciting to see how John Wall and the Wizards do in this year's 2013-2014 NBA playoffs.Here is a preview of what is inside this book: Early Life and Childhood College Years at Kentucky John Wall's NBA Career Wall's Personal Life Wall's Impact on Basketball and Beyond John Wall's Legacy An excerpt from the book:Regardless of where Washington finishes in the playoffs, the 2013-14 season has been impressive both for the team as well as John Wall. The young man who once suffered from maturity issues has developed into a confident point guard; ready to lead the Wizards however far they may go. Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul remains the best point guard in the NBA, and Wall is far from the only young point guard who seeks to take Paul's throne. Derrick Rose has won a MVP. Russell Westbrook has been the second option on a championship team. Stephen Curry has led the Golden State Warriors out of years of irrelevancy, and Damian Lillard has proven to be a monster in the clutch over and over again, drilling a series-clinching three point shot in these 2014 playoffs against the Houston Rockets.Can Wall truly prove himself to be the best point guard of them all? Only he knows. But the Wizards will do their best to provide him with the help he needs. They have tough, savvy veterans like Ariza and Nene, and also high potential prospects from their years in the lottery in Bradley Beal and Otto Porter Jr. But the Wizards remain John Wall's team and will be so for at least the next few years. It will be up to Wall to lead the Wizards to victory as well as develop into an outstanding point guard. With his long track of developing from just another playground athlete to one of the premier young point guards in the NBA, there is little doubt that he can very well accomplish all this and more.

Learn the Inspiring Story of the Toronto Raptors' Star Point Guard Kyle Lowry! Read on your PC, Mac, smartphone, tablet or Kindle device! In Kyle Lowry: The Inspiring Story of One of Basketball's All-Star Guards, you will learn the inspirational story of one of basketball's All-Star guards, Kyle Lowry. The Toronto Raptors rise in the NBA in recent years has been largely attributed to Kyle Lowry's leadership as he helped guide the Raptors to their first Atlantic Division title in several years. Aside from fellow star guards Stephen Curry and Russell Westbrook, few point guards in the NBA can score as easily as Kyle Lowry. It's no surprise Lowry was often compared to Tim Hardaway when he entered the league, as Lowry has the unique ability to not only score at will, but also make smart decisions on the floor. Here is a preview of what is inside this book: Childhood and Early Life High School Career College Career ' Kyle Lowry's NBA Career Getting Drafted and Rookie Campaign Bounce Back from Injury Final Season in Memphis First Full Season with the Houston Rockets Becoming a Starter Trade to Toronto Rising with the Raptors, Return to the Playoffs First All-Star Season Slimming Down, Improved Conditioning, Breaking Through to the Eastern Conference Finals Kyle Lowry's Personal Life Lowry's Legacy and Future An excerpt from the book: No journey to NBA stardom is ever quite the same. Some players have had the star pedigree ever since the day they were born, only to be given the status as a superstar even before getting into the NBA. LeBron James is an example of that kind of a star journey. He was figuratively given the brass ring even before he set foot on an NBA hard floor. This was rightfully so because he already had star quality even before he became a professional player. There are also those whose potentials were already apparent, but needed maturing and sharpening. Kobe Bryant, Paul George, and Kawhi Leonard are examples. Everyone knew they had the talent, drive, and work ethic to become stars. But they needed time and honing before they achieved their potentials. After the passage of time, those players evolved to become some of the best of their era. And some players had to work their way up from obscurity to be named as one of the elites in the league. Dirk Nowitzki came into the NBA as an unknown, but quickly rose to become one of the all-time greats. You also have Draymond Green and Manu Ginobili, who were both second-round picks, but reached the heights of championships and All-Star appearances nevertheless. All it took was for them to get over the brand of being relatively unknown and work through that to exceed expectations. Different stars had different roads to take for them to be part of the NBA's elite. Some had it easy, while some had it rough. Some took a lot of time, while some took none at all. It all depends on the individual players' pacing. It is not always about the destination, but more about the journey, as they say. But for all the different routes that different NBA players had to take to become stars, it is Kyle Lowry's own road to becoming elite that is most exciting and inspirational. Tags: Kyle Lowry Bio, Kyle Lowry basketball, Toronto Raptors basketball, DeMar DeRozan, Bismack Biyombo, Kyrie Irving, Paul George, Jimmy Butler, Damian Lillard, Klay Thompson

This "part memoir, part sports story" (Wall Street Journal) from the New York Times bestselling author of The Big Bam chronicles the clash of NBA titans over seven riveting games—Celtics versus Lakers, Russell versus Chamberlain—covered by one young reporter. Welcome to the 1969 NBA Finals! They don’t set up any better than this. The greatest basketball player of all time - Bill Russell - and his juggernaut Boston Celtics, winners of ten (ten!) of the previous twelve NBA championships, squeak through one more playoff run and land in the Finals again. Russell’s opponent? The fearsome 7’1” next-generation superstar, Wilt Chamberlain, recently traded to the LA Lakers to form the league’s first dream team. Bill Russell and John Havlicek versus Chamberlain, Jerry West and Elgin Baylor. The 1969 Celtics are at the end of their dominance. The 1969 Lakers are unstoppable. Add to the mix one newly minted reporter. Covering the epic series is a wide-eyed young sports writer named Leigh Montville. Years before becoming an award-winning legend himself at The Boston Globe and Sports Illustrated, twenty-four-year-old Montville is ordered by his editor at the Globe to get on a plane to L.A. (first time!) to write about his luminous heroes, the biggest of big men. What follows is a raucous, colorful, joyous account of one of the greatest seven-game series in NBA history. Set against a backdrop of the late sixties, Montville’s reporting and recollections transport readers to a singular time – with rampant racial tension on the streets and on the court, with the emergence of a still relatively small league on its way to becoming a billion-dollar industry, and to an era when newspaper journalism and the written word served as the crucial lifeline between sports and sports fans. And there was basketball – seven breathtaking, see-saw games, highlight-reel moments from an unprecedented cast of future Hall of Famers (including player-coach Russell as the first-ever black head coach in the NBA), coast-to-coast travels and the clack-clack-clack of typewriter keys racing against tight deadlines. Tall Men, Short Shorts is a masterpiece of sports journalism with a charming touch of personal memoir. Leigh Montville has crafted his most entertaining book yet, richly enshrining luminous players and moments in a unique American time.

Learn the Incredible Story of the Boston Celtics' Star Point Guard Kyrie Irving! Read on your PC, Mac, smartphone, tablet or Kindle device. This holiday season, if you buy the print edition as a gift, you can keep the Kindle edition for yourself! Newly revised for the 2017-2018 NBA season, Kyrie Irving: The Inspiring Story of One of Basketball's Most Versatile Point Guards details the inspirational story of basketball's star, Kyrie Irving. This unauthorized biography of Kyrie Irving highlights his quick ascent into the league as a brilliant passer and scorer. Kyrie Irving, often referred to as Uncle Drew, rivals Golden State Warrior Steph Curry in his incredible ability to control the basketball. Youth basketball players from all across the world view Kyrie Irving highlight reels to learn the ins and outs of passing and dribbling the basketball. Having such extraordinary skills, Kyrie is one of the best point guards in the NBA due to his court vision and ability to pass and score incredibly quickly. His agility is easily among the best in the NBA. Now as a new member of the Boston Celtics, Kyrie has the opportunity to lead his own team. Read on to learn about Kyrie Irving's journey into the league, to his college years at Duke University before ultimately propelling into the NBA. Here is a preview of what is inside this book: Childhood and High School Years Training with Pyonin College Years at Duke Kyrie Irving's NBA Career Getting Drafted and Rookie Season All-Star Appearances and the Return of Lebron Three Finals Appearances The Trade to Boston Kyrie's Personal Life Irving's Impact on Basketball Kyrie Irving's Legacy & Future An excerpt from the book: In their early twenties, most young adults are just graduating college and are looking for jobs. Kyrie Irving has yet to reach the veteran years of his career and is already an accomplished multiple-time NBA All-Star, the recipient of the 2012 Rookie of the Year Award, the 2014 NBA All-Star MVP, and an NBA champion at that. Not only that, but Kyrie went to the NBA Finals at a very young age while most NBA players retire without ever having a chance at an NBA championship. However, he would tell you these accolades are par for the course. As he was told by his father, "Stay hungry and humble." This proverb is what continues to drive Kyrie's relentless work both on and off the court. In a league dominated by incredibly talented point guards, there is no choice for aspiring athletes but to be great. For Kyrie, his buttery-smooth ball handling along with his knack for acrobatic finishes around the rim make him stand out from his contemporaries. Irving's game is crafty and elegant. He keeps opponents guessing from the top of the key right down to the bucket. His powerful dribbling ability and superb ambidexterity allow him to keep defenses on their heels. While the 24-second shot clock is ticking, Irving's collection of moves seems to be endless. He zigzags like a chess master. He keeps defenders on their heels and in anticipation of the inevitable and unavoidable show that Irving's hands can do. Tags: Kyrie Irving, LeBron James, Kevin Love, Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, Duke Blue Devils, Duke Basketball, Stephen Curry, Isaiah Thomas, Gordon Hayward, Derrick Rose, Austin Rivers

The most outspoken and combative coach in NBA history—and one of the most successful, amassing more than 1,175 victories, the sixth best winning record ever—reflects on his life, his career, and his battles on and off the basketball court in this no-holds-barred memoir A man of deep passion and intensity, George Karl earned his bad boy reputation while playing at the University of North Carolina, a rap that continued through the five years he spent with the San Antonio Spurs—and long after he stopped playing. Karl’s beery nights, fistfights, and barking followed him into a thirty-five-year coaching career. In a game defined by big stakes and bigger egos, rabid fans and an unforgiving media, Karl was hired and fired a dozen times. After leading a team beset by injuries and with no superstar to its best season of all time—an achievement that earned Karl the title NBA Coach of the Year—he was dumped by the Denver Nuggets in 2013. Less than a year and a half later, Karl was at the helm of the Sacramento Kings, snarling and bellowing on the sidelines before being cut loose in May 2016. Intense, obstinate, and loud, Karl has never backed down from a confrontation, whether with management, officials, or star players, as NBA legends from Allan Iverson to Gary Payton to Carmelo Anthony to Demarcus Cousins can attest. Telling his story, Karl holds nothing back as he speaks out about the game that has defined his life, including the greed, selfishness, and ass-covering he believes are characteristic of the modern NBA player, and the rampant corruption that leads all the way to the office of the NBA commissioner, David Stern. Karl also reveals how he’s learned to deal with the personalities, the pressure, and the setbacks with a resilience he acquired from his three bouts with cancer. Raw, hard-hitting, and brutally honest, Furious George is as thrilling, unpredictable, and entertaining as the game that has defined Karl’s life.

From one of basketball's foremost experts in the field of analytics, a fascinating new perspective on how to watch and think about the game. At its core, the goal of any basketball team is relatively simple: take and make good shots while preventing the opponent from doing the same. But what is a "good" shot? Are all good shots created equally? And how might one identify players who are more or less likely to make and prevent those shots in the first place? The concept of basketball "analytics," for lack of a better term, has been lauded, derided, and misunderstood. The incorporation of more data into NBA decision-making has been credited—or blamed—for everything from the death of the traditional center to the proliferation of three-point shooting to the alleged abandonment of the area of the court known as the midrange. What is beyond doubt is that understanding its methods has never been more important to watching and appreciating the NBA. In The Midrange Theory, Seth Partnow, NBA analyst for The Athletic and former Director of Basketball Research for the Milwaukee Bucks, explains how numbers have affected the modern NBA game, and how those numbers seek not to "solve" the game of basketball but instead urge us toward thinking about it in new ways. The relative value of Russell Westbrook's triple-doubles Why some players succeed in the playoffs while others don't How NBA teams think about constructing their rosters through the draft and free agency The difficulty in measuring defensive achievement The fallacy of the "quick two" From shot selection to evaluating prospects to considering aesthetics and ethics while analyzing the box scores, Partnow deftly explores where the NBA is now, how it got here, and where it might be going next.

Named one of Vulture’s Top 10 Best Books of 2020! Leftist firebrand Fredrik deBoer exposes the lie at the heart of our educational system and demands top-to-bottom reform. Everyone agrees that education is the key to creating a more just and equal world, and that our schools are broken and failing. Proposed reforms variously target incompetent teachers, corrupt union practices, or outdated curricula, but no one acknowledges a scientifically-proven fact that we all understand intuitively: Academic potential varies between individuals, and cannot be dramatically improved. In The Cult of Smart, educator and outspoken leftist Fredrik deBoer exposes this omission as the central flaw of our entire society, which has created and perpetuated an unjust class structure based on intellectual ability. Since cognitive talent varies from person to person, our education system can never create equal opportunity for all. Instead, it teaches our children that hierarchy and competition are natural, and that human value should be based on intelligence. These ideas are counter to everything that the left believes, but until they acknowledge the existence of individual cognitive differences, progressives remain complicit in keeping the status quo in place. This passionate, voice-driven manifesto demands that we embrace a new goal for education: equality of outcomes. We must create a world that has a place for everyone, not just the academically talented. But we’ll never achieve this dream until the Cult of Smart is destroyed.

A legendary NBA player shares his remarkable story, infused with hard-earned wisdom about the journey to self-mastery from a life at the highest level of professional sports Chris Bosh, NBA Hall of Famer, eleven-time All-Star, two-time NBA champion, Olympic gold medalist, and the league’s Global Ambassador, had his playing days cut short at their prime by a freak medical condition. His extraordinary career ended “in a doctor’s office in the middle of the afternoon.” Forced to reckon with moving forward, he found himself looking back over the course he'd taken, to the pinnacle of the NBA and beyond. Reflecting on all he had learned from a long list of basketball legends, from LeBron and Kobe to Pat Riley and Coach K, he saw that his important lessons weren’t about basketball so much as the inner game of success—right attitude, right commitment, right flow within a team. Now he shares that journey, giving us a view from the inside of what greatness feels like and what it takes. Letters to a Young Athlete offers a proven path for taming your inner voice and making it your ally, through the challenges of failure and success alike.

From 1996 through 2004, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal combined-- and collided-- to help bring the Lakers three straight championships and restore the franchise as a powerhouse. From public sniping and sparring, to physical altercations and the repeated threats of trade, it was warfare. The eight years of infighting and hostility were by turns mediated and encouraged by coach Phil Jackson. Pearlman shows how the Shaq-Kobe duo resulted in one of the most enduring, and ever-evolving, teams in NBA history. -- adapted from jacket