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Although some younger readers may not believe it, the National Basketball Association didn't begin with Michael Jordan. Or Dr. J. Or even Wilt Chamberlin. No, the NBA -- and all its high-flying, slam-dunking, money-generating glory -- had far more humble beginnings, taking root in the American sports psyche when New York Knick Ossie Schectman sank the first basket in league history against the Toronto Huskies on November 1, 1946.
The story that follows is lovingly and lavishly told in a sumptuous, 238-page collection of photos and quotes from the NBA's first half century. Thankfully, editor Mark Vancil lets no better expert than the players and coaches themselves tell their own stories, from Wilt Chamberlin discussing his 100-point game to Magic Johnson's simple-but-accurate summation of his longtime rival, Larry Bird ("He just knows how to win").
There are pages of great teams, great games and great plays, as well as a section devoted to the players recently selected as the NBA's 50 best. From the foreword by David Halberstam to the closing shot of Shaquille O'Neal, this is a book of basketball memories that any fan worth his or her hightops will return to again and again.
©1996, ProMotion, inc.
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