The Art of a Beautiful Game: The Thinking Fan's Tour of the NBA (Sports Illustrated)
*Starred Review* The conventional wisdom among casual NBA fans holds that the game is an improvisational, formless shoot-a-thon played by undisciplined athletes whose abilities are the product of genetics rather than practice. To which Sports Illustrated reporter Ballard replies, “Ha!” He explores such topics as killer instinct in a chapter on Los Angeles Lakers’ star Kobe Bryant in which it’s revealed that his legendary competitiveness can be traced back to a summer league where, as a 12 year-old matched against NBAers and collegiates, he didn’t score a single point. Never again. He also explores the big man’s world by examining the games of Shaquille O’Neal, Yao Ming, and Hall-of-Famer David Robinson. There are chapters revolving around pure shooters ( Ray Allen), point guards (Steve Nash), and rebounders (Ben Wallace). In his examination of the free throw, he profiles Tom Amberry, a retired podiatrist who, in 1993 at 71, made 2,750 consecutive free throws over 10 hours in front of 10 paid witnesses. Amberry’s feat and the Steve Nash profile are worth the price of the book. Ballard’s previous foray into book-length basketball journalism was Hoops Nation, a 1999 Booklist Top 10 sports book. The titular thinking fans will find their admiration confirmed; casual fans will see the light and find themselves converted. Hallelujah! --Wes Lukowsky