Phog

Remembered in name but underappreciated in legacy, Forrest “Phog” Allen arguably influenced the game of basketball more than anyone else. In the first half of the twentieth century, Allen took basketball from a gentlemanly, indoor recreational pastime to the competitive game that would become a worldwide sport. Succeeding James Naismith as the University of Kansas’s basketball coach in 1907, Allen led the Jayhawks for thirty-nine seasons and holds the record for most wins at that school, with 590. He also helped create the NCAA tournament and brought basketball to the Olympics. Allen changed the way the game is played, coached, marketed, and presented. Scott Morrow Johnson reveals Allen as a master recruiter, a transformative coach, and a visionary basketball mind. Adolph Rupp, Dean Smith, Wilt Chamberlain, and many others benefited from Allen’s knowledge of and passion for the game. But Johnson also delves into Allen’s occasionally tumultuous relationships with Naismith, the NCAA, and University of Kansas administrators. Phog: The Most Influential Man in Basketball chronicles this complex man’s life, telling for the first time the full story of the man whose name is synonymous with Kansas basketball and with the game itself.

Remembered in name but underappreciated in legacy, Forrest “Phog” Allen arguably influenced the game of basketball more than anyone else. In the first half of the twentieth century Allen took basketball from a gentlemanly, indoor recreation to the competitive game that would become a worldwide sport. Succeeding James Naismith as the University of Kansas’s basketball coach in 1907, Allen led the Jayhawks for thirty-nine seasons and holds the record for most wins at that school, with 590. He also helped create the NCAA tournament and brought basketball to the Olympics. Allen changed the way the game is played, coached, marketed, and presented. Scott Morrow Johnson reveals Allen as a master recruiter, a transformative coach, and a visionary basketball mind. Adolph Rupp, Dean Smith, Wilt Chamberlain, and many others benefited from Allen’s knowledge of and passion for the game. But Johnson also delves into Allen’s occasionally tumultuous relationships with Naismith, the NCAA, and University of Kansas administrators. Phog: The Most Influential Man in Basketball chronicles this complex man’s life, telling for the first time the full story of the man whose name is synonymous with Kansas basketball and with the game itself.

Th e 2007-2008 Kansas Jayhawks capped off one of the program's most storied seasons by winning its fi ft h national championship, and fi rst in 20 years. Th e Jayhawks' success in 2007-2008 has been credited to total team eff ort and the inspiring leadership of head coach Bill Self. During his relatively short head coaching career, Self has established himself as one of college basketball's best by leading Oral Roberts to new frontiers, guiding Tulsa to its best season in school history, turning Illinois into a Big Ten powerhouse and now taking Kansas from a perennially great program to the best in the nation.In Bill Self 's fi rst authorized book: BILL SELF: At Home in the Phog, Self and those who know him best off er an inside look at his journey into becoming one of the game's most respected and most sought-aft er coaches.Self explains how he is living a dream - not only is he a head coach, but he was selected to be the steward of what James Naismith and Phog Allen created. He describes the excitement of reaching the pinnacle – leading the Jayhawks to a national title. He gives minute-by-minute details of the contest that sent KU to the national title game Self has achieved his dream of becoming a head coach. Th at much is evident. Even though he never dreamed of being the head coach at the University of Kansas, he did aspire to lead a college basketball team to greatness, which is exactly what he is doing.Self 's journey proves that even though dreams may change, they can come true.