Streetball Is Life

Streetball Is Life PDF Author: Paul Volponi
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1538139286
Category : Young Adult Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 205

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Book Description
From award-winning young adult author Paul Volponi comes the true story of his unforgettable summer spent proving himself as a legitimate New York City streetballer, only later discovering that he had gained a set of skills that would enhance his life off the court, as well. During the sweltering summer of seventeen-year-old Paul Volponi’s life, he had only one goal—he wanted, no, needed to become a legitimate and respected New York City street basketball player. It was a passion that consumed him night and day, and at times even isolated him from his friends and family. So he entered through the gates of the Proving Ground, the roughest streetball yard in the city. It was a place where the fouls resembled felonies, and the atmosphere mirrored that of the Roman Coliseum more than Madison Square Garden. It was where teens and adults contested pickup games with a ferocity seemingly greater than that of the NBA Finals. The Proving Ground was a difficult place to cultivate friendships and an easy environment to make enemies. This is the story of Paul’s summer-long initiation at the Proving Ground. It is truly a streetball testament of a teenager who wanted more than anything else to earn his stripes in streetball society. Only what he didn’t understand at the time was that this experience would deliver to him, as it does today for so many young adults, a set of skills that would enhance his life far beyond the boundaries of a basketball court.

Streetball Is Life

Streetball Is Life PDF Author: Paul Volponi
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1538139286
Category : Young Adult Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 205

Get Book Here

Book Description
From award-winning young adult author Paul Volponi comes the true story of his unforgettable summer spent proving himself as a legitimate New York City streetballer, only later discovering that he had gained a set of skills that would enhance his life off the court, as well. During the sweltering summer of seventeen-year-old Paul Volponi’s life, he had only one goal—he wanted, no, needed to become a legitimate and respected New York City street basketball player. It was a passion that consumed him night and day, and at times even isolated him from his friends and family. So he entered through the gates of the Proving Ground, the roughest streetball yard in the city. It was a place where the fouls resembled felonies, and the atmosphere mirrored that of the Roman Coliseum more than Madison Square Garden. It was where teens and adults contested pickup games with a ferocity seemingly greater than that of the NBA Finals. The Proving Ground was a difficult place to cultivate friendships and an easy environment to make enemies. This is the story of Paul’s summer-long initiation at the Proving Ground. It is truly a streetball testament of a teenager who wanted more than anything else to earn his stripes in streetball society. Only what he didn’t understand at the time was that this experience would deliver to him, as it does today for so many young adults, a set of skills that would enhance his life far beyond the boundaries of a basketball court.

Black Gods of the Asphalt

Black Gods of the Asphalt PDF Author: Onaje X. O. Woodbine
Publisher: Columbia University Press
ISBN: 0231541120
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 254

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Book Description
J-Rod moves like a small tank on the court, his face mean, staring down his opponents. "I play just like my father," he says. "Before my father died, he was a problem on the court. I'm a problem." Playing basketball for him fuses past and present, conjuring his father's memory into a force that opponents can feel in each bone-snapping drive to the basket. On the street, every ballplayer has a story. Onaje X. O. Woodbine, a former streetball player who became an all-star Ivy Leaguer, brings the sights and sounds, hopes and dreams of street basketball to life. He shows that big games have a trickster figure and a master of black talk whose commentary interprets the game for audiences. The beats of hip-hop and reggae make up the soundtrack, and the ballplayers are half-men, half-heroes, defying the ghetto's limitations with their flights to the basket. Basketball is popular among young black American men but not because, as many claim, they are "pushed by poverty" or "pulled" by white institutions to play it. Black men choose to participate in basketball because of the transcendent experience of the game. Through interviews with and observations of urban basketball players, Onaje X. O. Woodbine composes a rare portrait of a passionate, committed, and resilient group of athletes who use the court to mine what urban life cannot corrupt. If people turn to religion to reimagine their place in the world, then black streetball players are indeed the hierophants of the asphalt.

Streetball Crew Book One Sasquatch in the Paint (Streetball Crew, Book One)

Streetball Crew Book One Sasquatch in the Paint (Streetball Crew, Book One) PDF Author: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
ISBN: 9781423192541
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Eighth-grader Theo Rollins' growth spurt has Coach Mandrake trying to transform him into a basketball star, but training time is hurting the science club's chances of winning the "Aca-lympics," and being accused of stealing could mean Theo is off both teams.

Living the Dream

Living the Dream PDF Author: Hakeem Olajuwon
Publisher: Little Brown & Company
ISBN: 9780316094276
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 300

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Book Description
The star of the Houston Rockets chronicles the cross-cultural journey from his Nigerian childhood to the heights of fame with the NBA, discussing his life on and off the court, rivalry with other players, confrontations with owners and referees, and religious faith. 100,000 first printing. $150,000 ad/promo. Tour.

Streetball

Streetball PDF Author: And 1
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 0060724447
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 226

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Book Description
What is Streetball? AND 1 presents a celebration of the game from the streets to the hardwood with the stories behind your favorite players and a step-by-step skills section that covers the whole court, from pulling off a simple layup to the jaw-dropping "oh no he didn't!" moves of the world's best streetballers. Where is Streetball? Anywhere there is a hoop -- from a one-on-one grudge match to a Sunday afternoon pickup game to the high-flying ball of AND 1's Mix Tape Tour. Who is Streetball? Rafer "Skip to My Lou" Alston Alimoe Escalade AO Hot Sauce Prime Objective Shane The Dribbling Machine The Professor Sik Wit It Main Event 50 High Octane Helicopter Go Get It Half Man Half Amazing Flash You are streetball The game defines us. It's who we are and what we do. All we need is a ball, a basket, and somebody to take to the rack. AND 1 products are available at retailers worldwide. Check out www.and1mixtape.com to find out more about the AND 1 Mix Tape Tour.

No Malice

No Malice PDF Author: Metta World Peace
Publisher: Triumph Books
ISBN: 1633198456
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 213

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Book Description
Metta World Peace knows what it means to be both the hero and the villain. In his 17-season professional basketball career, he's darted back and forth between extremes, taking on the roles of youthful phenom, league-wide disgrace, All-Star, unlikely international ambassador, and fan favorite. Along the way, there have been awards, teammate rifts, an NBA championship trophy, plus a name change or two. It's more than the guy born Ronald William Artest, Jr. might have imagined for himself as a kid growing up in Queens. In No Malice, World Peace speaks candidly about his life on and off the court, from his difficult upbringing, to his time as a star athlete and budding math major at St. Johns; from the infamous "Malice at the Palace" brawl in Detroit, where he earned one of the lengthiest suspensions the NBA has ever handed down, to his sunnier days as a Los Angeles Laker. World Peace also opens up on such diverse subjects as his forays into business and entertainment, the truth behind his volatile, unbelievable antics which have puzzled fans and team management alike, as well as his outspoken advocacy for mental health awareness. No topic is off the table, making this a must-read for hoops fans in Indianapolis, LA, Chicago, China, and any place in between.

The Comic Book Story of Basketball

The Comic Book Story of Basketball PDF Author: Fred Van Lente
Publisher: Ten Speed Graphic
ISBN: 1984856189
Category : Comics & Graphic Novels
Languages : en
Pages : 177

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Book Description
A fast-break history of basketball--from its humble beginnings to its all-time great players--featuring engaging true tales from the court and vivid, dynamic illustrations. Whether it's millionaire pros facing off in an indoor arena full of screaming fans or a lone kid shooting hoops on an outdoor court, basketball is one of the most popular and widely played sports in the world. The Comic Book Story of Basketball gives you courtside seats to the history of hoops. It chronicles the sport from its beginnings in a YMCA in Massachusetts to its current status as a beloved international game for men and women of all ages. Learn the true stories behind the college game, the street game, the women's game, and the international game, with legendary players and coaches like Dr. J, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Steph Curry profiled throughout.

The Book of Basketball

The Book of Basketball PDF Author: Bill Simmons
Publisher: ESPN
ISBN: 0345520106
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 754

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Book Description
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The NBA according to The Sports Guy—now updated with fresh takes on LeBron, the Celtics, and more! Foreword by Malcom Gladwell • “The work of a true fan . . . it might just represent the next phase of sports commentary.”—The Atlantic Bill Simmons, the wildly opinionated and thoroughly entertaining basketball addict known to millions as ESPN’s The Sports Guy, has written the definitive book on the past, present, and future of the NBA. From the age-old question of who actually won the rivalry between Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain to the one about which team was truly the best of all time, Simmons opens—and then closes, once and for all—every major pro basketball debate. Then he takes it further by completely reevaluating not only how NBA Hall of Fame inductees should be chosen but how the institution must be reshaped from the ground up, the result being the Pyramid: Simmons’s one-of-a-kind five-level shrine to the ninety-six greatest players in the history of pro basketball. And ultimately he takes fans to the heart of it all, as he uses a conversation with one NBA great to uncover that coveted thing: The Secret of Basketball. Comprehensive, authoritative, controversial, hilarious, and impossible to put down (even for Celtic-haters), The Book of Basketball offers every hardwood fan a courtside seat beside the game’s finest, funniest, and fiercest chronicler.

Above the Rim

Above the Rim PDF Author: Jen Bryant
Publisher: Abrams
ISBN: 1647001617
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 40

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Book Description
The story of Elgin Baylor, basketball icon and civil rights advocate, from an all-star team Hall-of-famer Elgin Baylor was one of basketball’s all-time-greatest players—an innovative athlete, team player, and quiet force for change. One of the first professional African-American players, he inspired others on and off the court. But when traveling for away games, many hotels and restaurants turned Elgin away because he was black. One night, Elgin had enough and staged a one-man protest that captured the attention of the press, the public, and the NBA. Above the Rim is a poetic, exquisitely illustrated telling of the life of an underrecognized athlete and a celebration of standing up for what is right.

Jump!

Jump! PDF Author: Floyd Cooper
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0399242309
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 42

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Book Description
What was Michael Jordan like as a boy? You might be surprised that the greatest professional basketball player ever wasn't even the best player in his own family! Michael Jordan was once just an ordinary little boy growing up in a North Carolina suburb, trying to keep up with his older brother Larry. Michael was always good at sports, but it seemed like Larry was always going to be bigger, quicker, and luckier. But Michael never gave up, and his practicing began to pay off. Then one summer day during a backyard game of one-on-one, Larry Jordan's "little" brother took him--and the whole family--by surprise! Based on actual events, this story of a friendly sibling rivalry is enhanced by Floyd Cooper's stunning two-tone art. Jump! even features a gate-fold depicting Michael Jordan's trademark leap that will send young readers soaring.