Total Basketball

This title explores everything a young reader would want to know about basketball, from high-flying dunkers to long-range sharpshooters. The title also features informative sidebars, a glossary, and further resources. SportsZone is an imprint of Abdo Publishing Company.

Explores everything a young reader would want to know about basketball, including how basketball was invented, innovations to the sport, when women began to play basketball, famous players, teams and coaches, highlights, basketball around the world, and more.

Combining original essays from award-winning authors, historic feature articles from the archive of SPORT magazine, the most comprehensive statistical register available covering every player in NBA history, biographies of top players in the game, plus complete results, award winners and records, this book sets the standard in the field of basketball reference books.

Today's National Basketball Association commands millions of spectators worldwide, and its many franchises are worth hundreds of millions of dollars. But the league wasn't always so successful or glamorous: in the 1940s and 1950s, the NBA and its predecessor, the Basketball Association of America, were scrambling to attract fans. Teams frequently played in dingy gymnasiums, players traveled as best they could, and their paychecks could bounce higher than a basketball. How did the NBA evolve from an obscure organization facing financial losses to a successful fledgling sports enterprise by 1960? Drawing on information from numerous archives, newspaper and periodical articles, and Congressional hearings, The Rise of the National Basketball Association chronicles the league's growing pains from 1946 to 1961. David George Surdam describes how a handful of ambitious ice hockey arena owners created the league as a way to increase the use of their facilities, growing the organization by fits and starts. Rigorously analyzing financial data and league records, Surdam points to the innovations that helped the NBA thrive: regular experiments with rules changes to make the game more attractive to fans, and the emergence of televised sports coverage as a way of capturing a larger audience. Notably, the NBA integrated in 1950, opening the game to players who would dominate the game by the end of the 1950sdecade: Bill Russell, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, and Oscar Robertson. Long a game that players loved to play, basketball became a professional sport well supported by community leaders, business vendors, and an ever-growing number of fans.

An entire year's worth of state-of-the-art conditioningfor the sport of basketball. Certified Strength andConditioning Specialist and former UNC Men's Basketballhead strength coach (1994-2001) Ben Cook outlines fiveunique phases of strength and conditioning to coincidewith the basketball season. Packed with over 280 pages ofinformation.

From its beginnings at the turn of the 20th century to its pervasive presence in 21st-century America, basketball has grown into an undeniably important sport. The 575 entries in this biographical dictionary present concise narratives on the lives and careers on the most important names in basketball history. Entries include both classic players such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bob Cousy as well as more recently established and up-and-coming stars such as Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Garnett, and LeBron James. Entries for coaches such as the Boston Celtics' Red Auerbach and Mike Krzyzewski from Duke University present the figures who have shaped the game from courtside, while the inclusion of female players and coaches such as Lisa Leslie, Diana Taurasi, and Pat Summitt show that basketball is not just a sport for men. From its beginnings at the turn of the 20th century to its pervasive presence in 21st-century America, basketball has grown into an undeniably important sport. The 575 entries in this biographical dictionary present concise narratives on the lives and careers on the most important names in basketball history. Entries include both classic players such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bob Cousy as well as more recently established and up-and-coming stars such as Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Garnett, and LeBron James. Entries for coaches such as the Boston Celtics' Red Auerbach and Mike Krzyzewski from Duke University present the figures who have shaped the game from courtside, while the inclusion of female players and coaches such as Lisa Leslie, Diana Taurasi, and Pat Summitt show that basketball is not just a sport for men. This volume is an ideal reference for students seeking easily accessed information on the greats of the game.

Complete Conditioning for Basketball presents the ultimate in training for the sport from the National Basketball Conditioning Coaches Association, the experts who work daily to maximize the performance potential of the game's top stars. Build your strength and power to be a beast on the boards. Improve your quickness and agility to be a defensive stopper. Increase your vertical jump to rise over defenders for uncontested shots. With over 200 exercises, drills, performance tests, and workouts, plus a 60-minute instructional DVD, Complete Conditioning for Basketball is the most comprehensive training resource for men and women at all levels of competition. Get the most out of your workouts and add new dimensions to your game. Complete Conditioning for Basketball will help you to fulfill your potential and make the most of every opportunity on the court.