First published 2020
Harvey Araton assembles the best basketball journalism from The New York Times across forty years of NBA coverage. The collection spans from the Magic Johnson and Larry Bird era through today's stars. Writers like Howard Beck, Marc Stein, Jonathan Abrams, and others contributed pieces that capture both legendary moments and quieter stories between the headlines. Mike Wise's account of driving around Los Angeles with young Kobe Bryant before his first All-Star Game appears alongside Lee Jenkins profiling Giannis Antetokounmpo's rise to stardom. Araton adds new commentary and includes previously unpublished material from the original reporters. The book reveals behind-the-scenes conversations with NBA players that never made it into newspaper articles. This collection shows how professional basketball grew into a global phenomenon while reflecting broader social changes in America.
Genres: american, non-fiction, 21st-century, journalism, basketball
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: behind-the-scenes, true-story
Setting: Los Angeles, New York
Period: 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s
512 pages · Paperback · Triumph Books