The Greatest Basketball Story Ever Told

"Nothing in basketball beats Hoosier Hysteria, and this true-life Cinderella story of the 1954 Milan Indians has it all--courage, heart, suspense, and triumph. Greg Guffey brings the team and its championship odyssey to life again in this action-packed book. A great read " --Digger Phelps With the release of the movie Hoosiers starring Gene Hackman, the whole world discovered the "Milan Miracle." The true story of the Milan miracle is even better, and Greg Guffey tells it here in graphic and gripping detail. Here we get to know the real Coach Marvin Wood and the remarkable group of high school players who defeated mighty Muncie Central. In his new introduction, Guffey talks about the switch to class basketball in Indiana and the legacy of this story for the town and for the legendary team.

ÒI have always considered it the best sports story ever, in a state blessed by so many.ÓÊÑBob HammelThe whole world discovered the ÒMilan miracleÓ when Hollywood based the Gene Hackman movie Hoosiers on it. The true Milan miracle is even better, and Greg Guffey tells it here for the first time in a graphic and gripping narrative. We get to know the real Coach Marvin Wood (who did have some opposition in the town, but not of the sort faced by Gene Hackman), the remarkable group of players whose coalescence as a team is as fascinating as anything in sports history, the town, the preceding season, the season itself, the excitement of the tournament, and the lives that the leading participants have led and the impact the game had on them and the town.Bob Hammel, IndianaÕs premier sports writer, says: ÒHappy reading, and remembering, and reminiscing.Ó

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Acclaimed sports journalist Jack McCallum delivers the untold story of the greatest team ever assembled: the 1992 U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team. As a writer for Sports Illustrated, McCallum enjoyed a courtside seat for the most exciting basketball spectacle on earth, covering the Dream Team from its inception to the gold medal ceremony in Barcelona. Drawing on fresh interviews with the players, McCallum provides the definitive account of the Dream Team phenomenon. He offers a behind-the-scenes look at the controversial selection process. He takes us inside the team’s Olympic suites for late-night card games and bull sessions where superstars like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird debated the finer points of basketball. And he narrates a riveting account of the legendary intrasquad scrimmage that pitted the Dream Teamers against one another in what may have been the greatest pickup game in history. In the twenty years since the Dream Team first captivated the world, its mystique has only grown. Dream Team vividly re-creates the moment when a once-in-a-millennium group of athletes came together and changed the future of sports—one perfectly executed fast break at a time. With a new Afterword by the author. “The absolute definitive work on the subject, a perfectly wonderful once-you-pick-it-up-you-won’t-be-able-to-put-it-down book.”—The Boston Globe “An Olympic hoops dream.”—Newsday “What makes this volume a must-read for nostalgic hoopsters are the robust portraits of the outsize personalities of the participants, all of whom were remarkably open with McCallum, both then and now.”—Booklist (starred review)

Describes the achievements and career statistics of basketball's greatest stars.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Inspired by a major ESPN film series, this is an extraordinary oral history of basketball—its eye-opening untold history, its profound deeper meaning, its transformative influence on the world—as told through an unprecedented series of candid conversations with the game’s ultimate icons. This is the greatest love story never told. It has passion and heartbreak, triumph and betrayal. It is deeply intimate yet crosses oceans, upends lives and changes nations. This is the true story of basketball. It is the story of a Canadian invention that took over America, and the world. Of a supposed “white man’s sport” that became a way for people of color, women, and immigrants to claim a new place in society. Of a game that demands everything of those who love it, yet gives so much back in return. To tell this story, acclaimed journalists Jackie MacMullan, Rafe Bartholomew and Dan Klores embarked on a groundbreaking mission to interview a staggering lineup of basketball trailblazers. For the first time hundreds of legends, from Kobe, Lebron and Steph Curry to Magic Johnson, Dr. J and Jerry West, spoke movingly about their greatest passion. Former NBA commissioner David Stern and iconic coaches like Phil Jackson and Coach K opened up like never before. Those who shattered glass ceilings, from Bill Russell and Yao Ming to Cheryl Miller and Lisa Leslie, explained what it really took to lay claim to their place in the game. At once a definitive oral history and something far more revelatory and life affirming, Basketball: A Love Story is the defining untold oral history of how basketball came to be, and what it means to those who love it.

Will lightning ever strike twice? Can David beat Goliath a second time? These questions haunt everyone in the small town of Milan, Indiana, whose basketball team inspired Hoosiers, the greatest underdog sports movie ever made. From a town of just 1,816 residents, the team remains forever an underdog, but one with a storied past that has them eternally frozen in their 1954 moment of glory. Every ten years or so, Milan has a winning season, but for the most part, they only manage a win or two each year. And still, perhaps because it's the only option for Milan, the town believes that the Indians can rise again. Bill Riley follows the modern day Indians for a season and explores how the Milan myth still permeates the town, the residents, and their high level of expectations of the team. Riley deftly captures the camaraderie between the players and their coach and their school pride in being Indians. In the end, there are few wins or causes for celebration—there is only the little town where basketball is king and nearly the whole town shows up to watch each game. The legend of Milan and Hoosiers is both a blessing and a curse.

In this deeply felt, unforgettable book, Bill Reynolds journeys with a high school basketball team through the past and present of an American town. Fall River, Massachusetts, is a once-prosperous industrial center haunted by its history, the Durfee High School basketball team begins its annual drive for a state championship: a quest that inspires and sometimes consumes kids, coaches, families, teachers, and all of Fall River. Fall River Dreams is the story of one season's quest-a classic book about sports, youth, time, hope, and memory in America today.

Are you ready to embark on an epic journey through the heart-pounding world of basketball? Look no further than this captivating collection of tales that will have you shooting three-pointers and stealing the spotlight on the court in no time! The Most Incredible Basketball Stories Ever Told contains true stories that span decades of basketball lore and legend, focusing on players from the NBA, WNBA, and NCAA. In these pages, you'll learn about some of the more amazing moments created by basketball players, coaches, and referees. Some of the stories in this book include: Alonzo Mourning needing a kidney to continue his championship quest. The Butler Bulldogs making a Cinderella run. An NBA referee gambling on games, then spilling the beans on the league. Ray Allen saving the Big 3 from a disappointing NBA Finals. Larry Bird making one spectacular play to kick-start his legendary status. The stories in these pages will provide deeper insight into those legendary stories that basketball fans may have heard of or just vaguely remember, making it the perfect gift for any fan of basketball, young and old. Step into the world of The Most Incredible Basketball Stories Ever Told and experience the slam-dunk adventure of a lifetime! You'll laugh, cry, and cheer your way through the thrilling world of hoops. Whether you're a seasoned baller or a rookie on the court, this book is your all-access pass to the excitement, drama, and camaraderie of basketball. This book is the slam-dunk read of the year that will keep you entertained from the first tip-off to the final buzzer. Grab your jersey, lace up your sneakers, and get ready to shoot for the stars!

This is a book for all fans of Indiana basketball.

A nostalgic romp through modern NBA history as documented by basketball's most iconic and innovative magazine covers. Every magazine cover is the result of a series of intentional decisions. Cover Story shares the behind-the-scenes stories of these deliberate choices, which led to the most iconic basketball-related magazine covers during a period from 1984 to 2003. Through 100-plus interviews conducted with writers, editors, publishers, photographers, creative directors, and the players themselves, the book explores Michael Jordan's relationship with Sports Illustrated, Shaquille O'Neal and the hip-hop generation's impact on newsstands, the birth of SLAM and the inside stories of their most iconic covers, how the 1996 USA women's basketball team inspired a new era of women's sports magazines, the competition among publishers to put high school phenom LeBron James on the magazine cover first, and much more. Offering an immersive look at some of the most impactful moments in a golden era for modern basketball, this engaging read will appeal to basketball fans, pop culture enthusiasts, and those who want to take a deep dive into understanding how the individual components of a classic magazine cover come together. Features four full-color inserts showcasing a collection of notable magazine covers!