BEST BASKETBALL BOOKS
Some favorite basketball books are looked at here. The topics/themes within them range from NBA history, to player rankings of all sorts, to the future outlook of the league - and everything in between.
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The Jordan Rules ~ By Sam Smith
PAGE COUNT - 368
CENTRAL THEME - Jordan & The Bulls
ILLUSTRATIONS/GRAPHICS? - No
The Jordan Rules takes readers behind the scenes during the Chicago Bull's dynastic run. It has a primary focus on the titular Michael Jordan but Smith takes time to touch on several other Bulls players and executives. This book peels back the curtain on how NBA teams operate behind closed doors, in a highly competitive and ultimately a pivotal time in the league's history. MJ is looked at in-depth throughout the book, with the full spectrum of his fascinating characteristics and quirks on display.
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The Book of Basketball ~ By Bill Simmons
PAGE COUNT - 752
CENTRAL THEME - Deep NBA History
ILLUSTRATIONS/GRAPHICS? - Yes
The ever-opinionated founder of The Ringer pours out his overflowing NBA knowledge. Bill peppers in his own personal experiences while attending 1980's Celtic games at arguably the peak of their powers as a franchise. The lengthy 752-pager never feels dull or stale, with Simmons blending peculiar anecdotes with raw statistical integration to give you a full experience.
Sprawlball ~ By Kirk Goldsberry
PAGE COUNT - 256
CENTRAL THEME - Rise of the Three-Ball
ILLUSTRATIONS/GRAPHICS? - Yes
Kirk Goldsberry, with help from some gorgeous graphics, looks to convey the true magnitude of the three-pointer's proliferation. He takes a look back to some NBA history to help contextualize the proliferation of the three-ball and how it is a disproportionately valuable shot in today's game. Goldsbery also opines that the fallout from such explosive 3pt growth has deformed the league positionally - specifically highlighting the decline of the traditional "power forward".
Thinking Basketball ~ By Ben Taylor
PAGE COUNT - 180
CENTRAL THEME - Re-Shaping your Basketball Brain with Analytics
ILLUSTRATIONS/GRAPHICS? - No
Taylor's book, just like his popular YouTube channel, examines the NBA with an analytical lens. Thinking Basketball the book looks to re-shape the way we watch and subsequently evaluate basketball. Ben does a good job of not coming off as overly preachy across the book. Rather, he provides compelling arguments backed up with firm numerical data that truly makes you reassess the way you absorb/analyze a given player.
Basketball (and Other Things) ~ By Shea Serrano
PAGE COUNT - 240
CENTRAL THEME - NBA History with a Comedic Twist
ILLUSTRATIONS/GRAPHICS? - Yes
Shea Serrano's 240-page basketball book seeks to answer compelling NBA questions that you may have not even known you were interested in. Each chapter is dedicated to solving a problem or answering a question that Serrano initially poses. With beautiful artwork and a humorous writing style, Basketball (and Other Things) promises to be a unique experience for the reader.
