Books I Like - The Book of Basketball

The Book of Basketball by Bill Simmons (2009) is a delirious, fevered 700-page voyage through the history of the NBA.  It led me to reengage with professional basketball.  The book is huge fun to read - it reminded me of many moments I'd forgotten and I learned some new things.  For instance, I'd forgotten that Celtics coach Bill Fitch said of Kevin McHale (known for his unusual physique) that "he has an incomplete body . . . he's waiting for the rest of the parts to come by mail" - isn't that info without which your life would be poorer?   Essential reading if you:

• Want to know who was 85th best player in the history of the NBA (Robert Horry - played on 7 NBA champs - bet you didn't know that)

• Why Larry Bird and Dr J trying to strangle each other during the 1981 playoffs was "like Santa Claus throwing down with the Easter Bunny"

• Like a lot of footnotes(1)

• Want to know why Teen Wolf is the movie that best captures the secret of basketball

• Want to know The Secret (as told by Isiah Thomas to Bill Simmons next to a topless pool and outdoor blackjack table in Vegas).  Simmons takes 15 pages to tell the story (that's why it ended up a 700 page book) and it's worth it.

• Wonder what would have happened if the 1984 NBA draft turned out differently (you know, Olajuwon picked #1 by Houston, Sam Bowie(!) picked #2 by Portland and Michael Jordan picked #3 by the Bulls). 

• Want to find out why "of all the injuries that determined the 96 spots of my Pyramid, I can tell you this much: Oscar Robertson's broken heart resonates the most".

You'll also learn about The Wine Cellar, The Legend of Keyser Soze and What if ABA Commissioner George Mikan Didn't Screw Up the Lew Alcindor Sweepstakes.  Read the book from start to finish, read random sections or read it in reverse.  You'll enjoy it no matter what your approach.



(1) These are the most entertaining footnotes you will ever see.  A few examples:

"Extending this analogy, Duncan was like Eric Clapton - great in a band and really good by himself, although there's no way Duncan ever would have done something as sleazy as stealing George Harrison's wife." [From the section on Tim Duncan]

"Let's hope that's the first and last time anyone writes that sentence" [You'll need to read the book to find out the reference]

After a sentence in the main text "For instance, let's say the 2008 players considered Kobe [Bryant] to be a world-class bully, egomaniac and phony", we have the footnote "This is a hypothetical example.  As far as you know."

 And my footnote is that this book is an adult-rated version of NBA history.