by West, Jerry
First published 1970
Jerry West stands at the free throw line, sweat dripping despite his nervous energy. Everyone says he's too short, too frail, too easily injured for professional basketball's brutal pace. The modest kid from the hills who still calls strangers "sir" and treats sportswriters with respect seems completely out of place among the sport's larger-than-life personalities. West battles not just opposing teams but his own moody temperament and anxiety. He's too nervous and humble to naturally command a squad, yet somehow he must rise above these limitations. The pressure threatens to crush this unlikely athlete who doesn't fit the mold of a typical basketball hero. West's journey reveals how an authentic, respectful young man from poverty can become the sport's greatest contradiction and possibly its finest player.
Genres: 20th-century, american, sports, biography-memoir, basketball
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, underdog
Setting: United States
Period: 20th Century
241 pages · Hardcover · Prentice-Hall
Content warnings: anxiety