AUDIOBOOK
About
The NBA has returned to prominence on the backs of phenoms like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Garnett. The media promotes them, the shoe companies pay them, and America applauds. But how exactly do such players reach the pros? What do they give up to get there? And what happens to those who fall short? Drawing on eight years of reporting and telling the very specific tale of one talented young recruit, his coach, and his teammates, George Dohrmann immerses listeners in the world of grassroots basketball, where men hunt for future NBA stars and young boys and their parents navigate a tumultuous course in pursuit of basketball glory.
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Reviews
"A wonderful and immaculately reported first book…It's a brilliant and heart-wrenching journey, and a cautionary tale to any basketball player who thinks the path to the NBA is a slam dunk."
Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Basketball fans frequently hear references to AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) summer leagues, in which young players have a chance to hone their games. The AAU leagues are often criticized for exploiting young kids, but most of these charges have been based on rumor or hearsay. Until now. Dohrmann, the last sportswriter to win a Pulitzer Prize, spent approximately nine years researching this book…In
Booklist
"What Alexander Wolff and Armen Keteyian and Dan Wetzel and Don Yaeger did for college basketball recruiting, Pulitzer Prize-winning sportswriter Dohrmann does for grassroots basketball in this memorable book…His insights into the seamy side of youth basketball are investigative journalism at its best. An easy Verdict: this is one of the best sports books of recent years. Highly recommended."
Library Journal