Download or read book DeMar Derozan the Inspiring Story of One of Basketball s Star Shooting Guards written by Clayton Geoffreys and published by . This book was released on 2017-04-10 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Learn the Inspiring Story of the Toronto Raptors' Star Shooting Guard DeMar DeRozan! Read on your PC, Mac, smartphone, tablet or Kindle device! In DeMar DeRozan: The Inspiring Story of One of Basketball's Star Shooting Guards, you will learn the inspirational story of one of basketball's greatest offensive players, DeMar DeRozan. DeMar DeRozan has quickly emerged as one of the premier scorers in the NBA, with a ruthless ability to score that reminds many of none other than a combination of Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady. Since being drafted as the ninth overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft, DeMar has played a significant role in the Raptors' emergence as a force in the Eastern Conference. Paired with Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan and the Raptors are a formidable team in the East, and will likely remain so for years to come. In this unauthorized biography, we'll explore DeMar's incredible life story and impact on the game of basketball. Here is a preview of what is inside this book: Childhood and Early Life High School Career College Career NBA Career Getting Drafted, The Rookie Campaign, The Development Years Teaming Up with Kyle Lowry, the Rudy Gay Experiment, First All-Star Season, Playoff Debut, Injury Struggles, Lowry's Evolution into an All-Star Breaking Through to the Conference Finals, Road to Becoming Elite International Career Personal Life and Impact on Basketball Legacy and Future An excerpt from the book: The shooting guard position has always been one of the more difficult spots to play in the NBA. Shooting guards are required first and foremost to be among the best scorers on their team since their primary role of the team is to, of course, shoot and make their shots. While scoring the ball may not sound like the most difficult task to do, what makes the shooting guard a difficult position in the NBA is the level of skill required to be elite. As far as the history of the league is concerned, there have not been a lot of great shooting guards compared to centers, point guards, and forwards due to the relative difficulty the position requires for the player to be elite. But even though there have not been a lot of great shooting guards in the NBA's history, the best of the best happen to be those that play that position. Since the dawn of the league, the first great shooting guard was the NBA logo himself, Jerry West. Then there came guys like George Gervin and Pete Maravich during the dark 70's era of the league. Come the 80's and 90's, Reggie Miller and Clyde Drexler dominated the position. Those that came after them were Kobe Bryant, Ray Allen, Vince Carter, and Dwyane Wade. And Michael Jordan, the greatest player to have ever played the game, is known as a shooting guard. There have not been a lot of great shooting guards, but they were always the best of their respective eras. Tags: DeMar DeRozan Bio, DeMar DeRozan basketball, Toronto Raptors basketball, Kyle Lowry, DeMarcus Cousins, Jimmy Butler, Jonas Valanciunas, Paul George, James Harden, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady

Download or read book I ll Show You written by Derrick Rose and published by Triumph Books. This book was released on 2019-09-10 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 2012, Derrick Rose was on top of the world. After growing up in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood, Rose achieved an improbable childhood dream: being selected first overall in the NBA draft by his hometown Chicago Bulls. The point guard known to his family as “Pooh” was a phenom, winning the Rookie of the Year award and electrifying fans around the world. In 2011, he became the youngest MVP in league history. He and the Bulls believed the city's first berth in the NBA Finals since the Jordan era was on the horizon. Rarely had a bond between a player and fans been so strong, as the city wrapped its arms around the homegrown hero. Six years and four knee surgeries later, he was waived by the Utah Jazz, a once surefire Hall of Fame career seemingly on the brink of collapse. Many speculated his days in the NBA were over. But Derrick Rose never doubted himself, never believed his struggles on and off the court were anything other than temporary setbacks. Rather than telling the world he had more to give, he decided to show them. I'll Show You is an honest, intimate conversation with one of the world's most popular athletes, a star whose on-court brilliance is matched only by his aversion to the spotlight. Written with New York Times bestselling author Sam Smith, Rose opens himself up to fans in a way they've never seen before, creating a document that is as unflinching—and at times as uncomfortable—as a personal diary. Detailing his childhood spent in one of his city's most dangerous neighborhoods; his relationships with both opponents and teammates; the pain and controversies surrounding his career-altering injuries; his complicated relationship to fame and fortune; and his rise, fall, and reemergence as the player LeBron James says is “still a superhero,” I'll Show You is one of the most candid and surprising autobiographies of a modern-day superstar ever written.

Download or read book Giannis Antetokounmpo written by Jackson Carter and published by . This book was released on 2020-02-11 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: On a sunny, hot day two boys sat on the basketball court of a park in a run-down section of Greece. They casually chatted and laughed as one took off his shoes and gave them to the other boy so that he could have his turn playing the sport it seemed like their long, athletic bodies were built for. But with no formal training, they were clumsy and awkward. No one would have thought to look at the two boys that one of them was destined to be the MVP of the NBA.Giannis Antetokounmpo tells the story of one of the best athletes in the game today, Giannis. From selling trinkets on Greek streets to thrilling sold-out arenas, Giannis has truly persevered and made a name for himself and a life for his family. In Giannis, you will hear the whole story and be inspired to overcome the adversity that you are facing in your life!

Download or read book Built to Lose written by Jake Fischer and published by Triumph Books. This book was released on 2021-05-04 with total page 295 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "From front offices to college campuses, Jake Fischer takes you on an engrossing tour of the NBA in its latest golden age, when some of the most captivating teams won by losing." —Lee Jenkins, former Sports Illustrated NBA writer An insider account of modern NBA team-building, based on hundreds of exclusive interviews A single transcendent talent?can change the fortunes of an NBA franchise. One only has to recall the frenzy surrounding recent top pick Zion Williamson to recognize teams' willingness to lose games now for the sake of winning championships later. It's a story that weaves its way behind closed doors to reveal intricate machinations normally hidden from public view. Backed by extensive reporting and hundreds of interviews with top players, coaches, and executives, Jake Fischer chronicles secret pre-draft workouts, feuding between player agents and executives, surprising trade negotiations, interpersonal conflicts, organizational power struggles, and infamous public relations fiascos, making for a fascinating look at the NBA. The definitive account of the NBA's tanking era, when teams raced to the bottom in the hope of eventually winning a championship.

Download or read book Success Is the Only Option written by John Calipari and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2016-11-15 with total page 171 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Kentucky’s charismatic coach shares the secrets of creating one of the premiere programs in college basketball, revealing how he transforms a group of former high school superstars into selfless, cohesive teams—including a remarkable squad last year that fell just one game short of a perfect season. Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari is known for his unparalleled ability to recruit the nation’s best young players, some of whom will spend just one year with him before going to the NBA, and convincing them to commit to the team without sacrificing their personal goals. It is a promise he makes to them: "Fully invest in the present—and each other—and I guarantee it will serve your future." Here, for the first time, he distills his team-building methods in ways that apply to CEOs, business owners, coaches, teachers and leaders of all kinds—lessons for anyone seeking to inspire talented individuals to reach for their best selves and contribute to a greater good. A basketball team is an intimate workplace, in which blend is everything and character matters. As such, it is a window into the nature of successful leadership. Calipari views each new team like a startup business—one composed of new players, new relationships, and new challenges. Each season is a series of discoveries as he learns how to unleash the extreme talent in each of his players and mold them into championship material as college basketball comes to a crescendo every spring. While he can’t control everything, he is responsible for everything—just like a CEO. An enlightening look at leadership, management, and team building, Success Is the Only Option offers the keys to winning, on and off the court.

Download or read book West by West written by Jonathan Coleman and published by Little, Brown. This book was released on 2011-10-19 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: He is one of basketball's towering figures: "Mr. Clutch," who mesmerized his opponents and fans. The coach who began the Lakers' resurgence in the 1970s. The general manager who helped bring "Showtime" to Los Angeles, creating a championship-winning force that continues to this day. Now, for the first time, the legendary Jerry West tells his story-from his tough childhood in West Virginia, to his unbelievable college success at West Virginia University, his 40-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, and his relationships with NBA legends like Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, and Kobe Bryant. Unsparing in its self-assessment and honesty, West by West is far more than a sports memoir: it is a profound confession and a magnificent inspiration.

Download or read book The Mamba Mentality written by Kobe Bryant and published by MCD. This book was released on 2018-10-23 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Mamba Mentality: How I Play is Kobe Bryant’s personal perspective of his life and career on the basketball court and his exceptional, insightful style of playing the game—a fitting legacy from the late Los Angeles Laker superstar. In the wake of his retirement from professional basketball, Kobe “The Black Mamba” Bryant decided to share his vast knowledge and understanding of the game to take readers on an unprecedented journey to the core of the legendary “Mamba mentality.” Citing an obligation and an opportunity to teach young players, hardcore fans, and devoted students of the game how to play it “the right way,” The Mamba Mentality takes us inside the mind of one of the most intelligent, analytical, and creative basketball players ever. In his own words, Bryant reveals his famously detailed approach and the steps he took to prepare mentally and physically to not just succeed at the game, but to excel. Readers will learn how Bryant studied an opponent, how he channeled his passion for the game, how he played through injuries. They’ll also get fascinating granular detail as he breaks down specific plays and match-ups from throughout his career. Bryant’s detailed accounts are paired with stunning photographs by the Hall of Fame photographer Andrew D. Bernstein. Bernstein, long the Lakers and NBA official photographer, captured Bryant’s very first NBA photo in 1996 and his last in 2016—and hundreds of thousands in between, the record of a unique, twenty-year relationship between one athlete and one photographer. The combination of Bryant’s narrative and Bernstein’s photos make The Mamba Mentality an unprecedented look behind the curtain at the career of one of the world’s most celebrated and fascinating athletes.

Download or read book Tall Men Short Shorts written by Leigh Montville and published by Anchor. This book was released on 2022-05-24 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.

Download or read book More Than a Game written by Phil Jackson and published by Seven Stories Press. This book was released on 2011-01-04 with total page 328 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: More than a Game covers the years that follow the one featured in the ESPN documentary series "The Last Dance." After leaving the Bulls at the end of the 1997-1998 season—the year featured in the new ESPN documentary series "The Last Dance"—Phil Jackson had one year off and started to write this book—together with his old friend, fellow player and coach, the basketball novelist Charley Rosen. Then Phil took the LA Lakers coaching job, Rosen followed him there, and by the time they finished writing this book it was 2000 and Phil had won yet another NBA championship, the first of five he would win with his new team. In More than a Game, Jackson and Rosen look backward to their origins as players and coaches, forward to the future of the game of basketball, and linger in the moving target of the present—lavishing page after page on the Triangle Offense and all the ways it reveals the essence of the game of basketball they both love so much. This is Jackson in his prime, transitioning from the Bulls to the Lakers, a master of the art of winning, who would go on to claim more NBA championships, eleven, than any other coach in NBA history. As he writes in More than a Game of his newest championship team: "We won because our fundamentals were sound, because Shaq was so dominant and Kobe was so creative, but we also won because we developed a certain confidence in our ability to win."

Download or read book Sports Illustrated Blood Sweat and Chalk written by The Editors of Sports Illustrated and published by Time Home Entertainment. This book was released on 2010-08-03 with total page 310 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The modern game of football is filled with plays and formations with names like the Counter Trey, the Wildcat, the Zone Blitz and the Cover Two. They have become part of the sport's vernacular, and yet for many fans they remain just names, often confusing ones. To rectify that, Tim Layden has drilled deep into the core of the game to reveal not only how these chalkboard X's and O's really work on the field, but also where they came from and who dreamed them up. These playbook schemes, many of them illuminated by diagrams, bear the insignia of some of the game's great innovators, men like Vince Lombardi, Don Coryell, Tom Osborne, Bill Walsh, Tony Dungy and Buddy Ryan. But football has also been radically altered by the ingenious work of men with more obscure names, like Tiger Ellison, Emory Bellard and Mouse Davis. In Blood, Sweat and Chalk, Layden takes readers into the meeting rooms-and in some cases the living rooms-where the game's most significant ideas were hatched. He goes to the coaches and to the players who inspired them, and lets them tell their stories. In candid conversations with some of football's most intriguing characters, Layden provides a fascinating guide to the game, helping fans to better see the subtleties of America's favorite sport.

Download or read book We The Champs written by Alex Wong and published by Triumph Books. This book was released on 2019-06-14 with total page 175 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We The North. The slogan for the most successful era of Raptors' basketball was elevated to a new level with the stunning off-season acquisition of superstar Kawhi Leonard. Finally breaking through after years of knocking on the door of the Eastern Conference, the Raptors made history and brought the first championship home to Toronto since the Blue Jays in 1993. From an intriguing new coaching hire in Nick Nurse, to the Leonard trade, to a midseason addition of Marc Gasol, the 2018-2019 season was one of changing the identity of the team, building chemistry, and leading to the franchise's long-awaited first title. From making quick work of the Magic in the first round of the playoffs, to a Game 7 classic against the 76ers, to ripping off four straight wins versus the Bucks, the Raptors were destined to take down the defending champion Golden State Warriors on their way to becoming kings of the NBA. Packed with expert analysis and dynamic color photography, We The Champs: The Toronto Raptors' Historic Run to the 2019 NBA Title takes fans through the Raptors' historic and unforgettable journey, from Nurse and Leonard replacing Dwane Casey and DeMar DeRozan, to Pascal Siakam blossoming into a star, to Leonard's unbelievable four-bounce Game 7 game-winner against the 76ers. This commemorative edition also includes in-depth profiles of Leonard, Kyle Lowry, Masai Ujiri, and other fan favorites who played key roles in Toronto's extraordinary championship run.

Download or read book By God s Grace written by Chris Webber and published by . This book was released on 2023-10-17 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From basketball legend Chris Webber comes By God's Grace, the highly anticipated memoir by the polarizing star of Michigan's iconic Fab Five. Chris Webber is a once-in-a-generation athlete and one of the most versatile big men in basketball history. From his baggy shorts, black socks, and trash talk that sparked a cultural revolution to becoming the first overall pick in the 1993 NBA draft, Webber's career spanned fifteen professional seasons and earned him countless honors. But to know the real man is to look beyond the CWebb persona into the pressure-filled world of Mayce Edward Christopher Webber III, a shy momma's boy from Detroit. Labeled a prodigy at twelve years old, Webber fought his way through the drugs, crime, and gang wars that plagued his tough childhood neighborhood to become one of the most heavily recruited high school basketball players of all time. He soon became the leader of Michigan's Fab Five, a team as outrageous as it was legendary, and a dominant force in the NBA. But with his rise to basketball heights came scandal, misconception, and forfeited wins that caused lasting controversy. Every step of the way, Webber leaned on the two most important relationships in his life for support: God and family. By God's Grace offers an unparalleled look into Webber's story in his own words. He recounts the incredible highs of his personal life and days on the court, along with his most devastating lows, including his infamous time-out and the years of infertility he and his wife endured before the birth of their twins. Featuring never-before-seen photos, personal stories, and heartfelt tributes to the most influential people in his life, this is a profoundly honest firsthand account of one man's inspiring journey and how God's grace guided him through it all.

Download or read book Michael Jordan written by Clayton Geoffreys and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2015-05-31 with total page 120 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Traces the life of one of the most legendary basketball players in the history of the sport, drawing upon interviews with Jordan's friends, family, and teammates, and following his career from college to the NBA."--Provide by publisher.

Download or read book Boys Among Men written by Jonathan P. D. Abrams and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 346 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explores the trend of teenage basketball stars skipping college and making the transition to playing professionally, resulting in the 2005 age limit instituted by the NBA, mandating that all players must attend college or another developmental program for at least a year.

Download or read book Pascal Siakam the Inspiring Story of One of Basketball s Rising Stars written by Clayton Geoffreys and published by . This book was released on 2019-09-26 with total page 131 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Learn the Inspiring Story of the Toronto Raptors' Rising Star, Pascal Siakam! 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 Pascal Siakam: The Inspiring Story of One of Basketball's Rising Stars, you will learn the incredible story of one of basketball's emerging stars, Pascal Siakam. Since being selected in the late first round by the Raptors in the 2016 NBA Draft, Siakam has quickly risen as a meaningful player in the evolving league. In 2019, his value to the Raptors was clear as he alongside Kawhi Leonard and Kyle Lowry helped the franchise capture its first NBA Championship. That same year, Siakam was recognized as the league's Most Improved Player. Now with Kawhi Leonard having left Toronto in the 2019 offseason for the Los Angeles Clippers, Pascal Siakam has a great opportunity to truly establish himself as a perennial star in the NBA. It will be exciting to continue to watch Siakam as he becomes one of the next unforgettable power forwards to play professional basketball. Pick up this unauthorized biography today to learn the inspiring story behind rising star, Pascal Siakam! This is the perfect basketball chapter book for sports fans of all ages. Here is a preview of what is inside this Pascal Siakam biography book: Childhood and Early Life Learning How to Play Basketball College Career Getting Drafted, Rookie Season, G-League Finals MVP Playing with the Bench Mob Breakout Season, First NBA Championship, Winning the Most Improved Player Award Life Without Kawhi Leonard, Becoming the Franchise Player Pascal Siakam's Personal Life Siakam's Impact on Basketball Legacy and Future An excerpt from this Pascal Siakam biography: The NBA is full of underdog stories that people all over the world love to follow. We have seen players that literally came from nowhere but suddenly became successful in the NBA and even went on to become stars or champions. These are the stories that are both heart-warming and sometimes tear-jerking because we cannot help but root for such players, who worked their hardest to get to the point where they could be successful in the NBA. The league has never been short of such stories. LeBron James, who grew up without a father, only had his mother to rely on as he went on to use his physical gifts to become one of the greatest players in the world. Stephen Curry, who may have lived a comfortable life in his younger days, was considered someone who could not star in the NBA because of his lack of size and athleticism. However, he went on to become the only player in league history to win the MVP award unanimously. If we are talking about players who lifted themselves from obscurity, we should never forget about Giannis Antetokounmpo. Called the "Greek Freak," Antetokounmpo used to peddle in the streets of his hometown in Greece but worked his way up to become an MVP-caliber player in the NBA. Then there is Joel Embiid, who was an unknown in Cameroon before he picked up basketball at the age of 15, but eventually became one of the greatest centers in the modern-day NBA. Another Cameroonian had a story that is very similar to what Joel Embiid had gone through in life. Born in Cameroon, a developing country where basketball is still in its infancy stage, Pascal Siakam did not play basketball until he was about 15 years old. His life had a different direction during his early teen years, and he had little to no interest in becoming a basketball player much less an NBA player. Tags: Pascal Siakam biography, Pascal Siakam story, Toronto Raptors basketball, Kawhi Leonard, Kyle Lowry, books for basketball fans, rising basketball stars

Download or read book When The Game Was Ours written by Larry Bird and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2009-11-04 with total page 369 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The New York Times bestseller from Hall of Fame basketball legends Larry Bird and Earvin Magic Johnson. From the moment these two players took the court on opposing sides, they engaged in a fierce physical and psychological battle. Their uncommonly competitive relationship came to symbolize the most compelling rivalry in the NBA. In Celtic green was Larry Bird, the hick from French Lick, with laser-beam focus, relentless determination, and a deadly jump shot, a player who demanded excellence from everyone and whose caustic wit left opponents quaking in their high-tops. Magic Johnson was Mr. Showtime, a magnetic personality with all the right moves. Young, indomitable, he was a pied piper in purple and gold. And he burned with an inextinguishable desire to win. These were the basketball epics of the 1980s — Celtics vs Lakers, East vs West, physical vs finesse, Old School vs Showtime, even white vs black. Each pushed the other to greatness — together Bird and Johnson collected eight NBA Championships, six MVP awards and helped save the floundering NBA at its most critical time. When it started they were bitter rivals, but along the way they became lifelong friends. With intimate, fly-on-the-wall detail, When the Game Was Ours transports readers to this electric era of basketball and reveals for the first time the inner workings of two players dead set on besting one another. From the heady days of trading championships to the darker days of injury and illness, we come to understand Larry’s obsessive devotion to winning and how his demons drove him on the court. We hear him talk with candor about playing through chronic pain and its truly exacting toll. In Magic we see a young, invincible star struggle with the sting of defeat, not just as a player but as a team leader. We are there the moment he learns he’s contracted HIV and hear in his own words how that devastating news impacted his relationships in basketball and beyond. But always, in both cases, we see them prevail. A compelling, up-close-and-personal portrait of basketball’s most inimitable duo, When the Game Was Ours is a reevaluation of three decades in counterpoint. It is also a rollicking ride through professional basketball’s best times.

Download or read book Allen Iverson the Inspiring Story of One of Basketball s Greatest Shooting Guards written by Clayton Geoffreys and published by . This book was released on 2014-06-06 with total page 62 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Learn the Incredible Story of Basketball Superstar Allen Iverson!Read on your PC, Mac, smartphone, tablet or Kindle device!In Allen Iverson: The Inspiring Story of One of Basketball's Greatest Shooting Guards, you'll read about the inspirational story of basketball's premier shooting guard, Allen Iverson. Allen Iverson redefined the shooting guard position role in the late 1990s and entering in the 2000s. In an age filled with greats like Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Reggie Miller, and Tim Duncan, Iverson played in one of the most exciting eras of modern basketball. While the Philadelphia 76ers failed to win a ring during Iverson's tenure, they played some of the most incredible playoff series in NBA history and made it to the NBA Finals in 2000-2001 before ultimately falling to the Los Angeles Lakers. While he may have been controversial in his time playing the game due to what some perceived as an attitude, Allen Iverson always played the game his way, from the very first day he stepped into the NBA until the very last time he stepped off. Allen Iverson remains highly respected by guards all around the league due to the way he redefined the shooting guard position and what was possible for a shooting guard. He was and remains to this day one of the most pure shooting guards to play the game.Here is a preview of what is inside this book: Early Life and Childhood College Years at Georgetown AI's NBA Career Iverson's Personal Life Allen Iverson's Impact on Basketball and Beyond Iverson's Legacy An excerpt from the book:To discuss Allen Iverson is to discuss the importance of narratives in basketball. No NBA player's legacy has been so starkly divided between those who hail Iverson and those who disdain him.On one side, Allen Iverson was a fearsome, relentless warrior. Despite subpar supporting casts throughout his career, he fought and bled for victory every single game. He had an unparalleled will to win, and inspired fanatical loyalty in his teammates. In one of the greatest performances in NBA history, he stole Game 1 of the NBA Finals against one of the greatest NBA teams ever, the 2001 Los Angeles Lakers. It was Los Angeles's only defeat on their road to the 2001 championship, and the victory epitomized Iverson's heart and will. He won a MVP award in 2001, averaged 30 points per game year in and year out, and is without a doubt the greatest little man in NBA history. On the other side, Allen Iverson was a selfish and arrogant team-killer. The subpar supporting casts were in fact a perfect fit for his talents. Iverson's will only showed when he could dominate the ball as much as he liked, and he promptly threw temper tantrums otherwise. That 2001 MVP should have gone to eventual Finals MVP Shaquille O'Neal, and while that Game 1 performance was impressive, the reality is that the 2001 Philadelphia 76ers squad would have never made it to the NBA Finals if they had not played in a miserable Eastern Conference. He scored many points, but with his flaws and temperament, he was utterly incapable of playing on a championship team.Tags: allen iverson, philadelphia 76ers, eric snow, michael carter-williams, nerlens noel, kobe bryant, tracy mcgrady, carmelo anthony, andre iguodala, derrick rose, steve nash, basketball crossover, nba greats, AI3