Basketball Nonfiction

At one time Lew Alcindor was just another kid from New York City with all the usual problems: He struggled with fitting in, with pleasing a strict father, and with overcoming shyness that made him feel socially awkward. But with a talent for basketball and an unmatched team of supporters, Lew Alcindor was able to transform and to become Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Growing up, young Chris Paul dreamed of playing professional basketball. But he knew it would take more than dedication and practice, so Chris looked to his grandfather Papa Chilly as a shining example of the values he could apply both in basketball and in life. Papa taught him about respect, faith, kindness, generosity, and the determination to succeed, just as Papa had succeeded as the first Black business owner of a service station in North Carolina. 

You gotta know the rules to play the game. Ball is life. Take it to the hoop. Soar. What can we imagine for ourselves? What if we were the star players, moving and grooving through the game of life? What if we had our own rules of the game to help us get what we want, what we aspire to, what will enrich our lives? The Playbook is intended to provide inspiration for kids ages 10 and up to help them succeed on and off the court.

With all the intricacies that the sport of basketball entails, it is easy to overlook the importance of a player or team’s state of mind. You may be so caught up on practicing their defense, running plays, or drilling the fundamentals, that you haven’t stopped to consider whether your players are happy. With more and more NBA players speaking out about mental health issues, it is impossible to ignore the importance of mental health in the sport of basketball. As the industry changes and adapts to the needs of players, your coaching should, too.

When they piled into cars and drove through Durham, North Carolina, the members of the Duke University Medical School basketball team only knew that they were going somewhere to play basketball. They didn't know whom they would play against. But when they came face-to-face with their opponents, they quickly realized this secret game was going to make history. Discover the true story of how in 1944, Coach John McLendon orchestrated a secret game between the best players from a white college and his team from the North Carolina College of Negroes at a time of segregation and racism.

Stephen Curry is a professional Golden State Warriors basketball player. He’s considered one of the greatest shooters of all time, but his journey wasn’t always easy. He was told many times that he was too little and too weak to play at any level. The Adventures of Stephen Curry will show you the world through the eyes of a young Curry who wanted to be an amazing basketball player just like his dad. What challenges did Stephen have to overcome? How did he manage? How did he prevail? And how did he get so good?