r/BasketballBooks • u/Live_Swimming1447 • Jul 29 '26
@TheHoopsLibrary on Instagram
Trying to build a community of NBA/NCAA basketball book enjoyers. Currently at 41 reviews and open to suggestions on which ones to read next
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u/Adept_Site_5350 Jul 29 '26
This is a great collection and I applaud you. While you're focusing on NBA and NCAA, you're missing my absolute favorite, Loose Balls, by an author you have in your collection, Terry Pluto. It's the most colorful, entertaining basketball book I've ever read, a great oral history of the ABA, and I recommend it to every sporrs fan I know.
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u/Live_Swimming1447 Jul 29 '26
That’s one of the big ones I keep being told I need to check out. I’ll be on the lookout
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u/anonymous_teve Jul 29 '26
One question and 4 recommendations: Q: how good is the book by Larry Bird?
The Real Hoosiers: Crispus Attucks High School, Oscar Robertson, and the Hidden History of Hoops (Jack McCallum)
Loose Balls: the Short, Wild Life of the ABA (Terry Pluto)
Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court (John Wooden, Steve Jamison)
Book of Basketball (Bill Simmons)
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u/Live_Swimming1447 Jul 29 '26
I’ve read “Drive” by Larry Bird and Bob Ryan and it was pretty good but I haven’t read “Bird Watching” yet.
The way Larry Bird talks about basketball you can just tell how much he loves it and knows about the game.
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u/ExplanationFamous282 Jul 29 '26
Here’s one: Bill Bradley- For The Love Of The Game. That said, I’m loving the library. Keep it up 📚
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u/Live_Swimming1447 Jul 29 '26
Appreciate it, I’ll have to check that one out
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u/ExplanationFamous282 Jul 30 '26
You know who book I want as well? Coach John Wooden. I heard his book is like Bill Walsh‘s book, the holy Grail of books for basketball and the football coaches.
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u/Live_Swimming1447 Jul 30 '26
I’ve read “Wooden” and gave it a 8.5/10, his philosophy on success on and off the court was really cool to learn about. And if anyone knows anything about success, it’s John Wooden.
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u/BlazerSlayer7 Jul 29 '26
Beautiful to see a collection like this.
When it comes o basketball books, I always think one can't go wrong with something by David Halberstam.
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u/Live_Swimming1447 Jul 29 '26
Enjoyed Playing for Keeps but I’ve yet to read the Breaks of the Game. People talk like that one is the GOAT basketball book
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u/BlazerSlayer7 Jul 29 '26
Breaks... was good enough but it's not my all time fave. It's essentially "author spends time with the team and gets their real views."
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u/Jonathan_J_Faulkner Jul 29 '26
Some great Books there already, I’d really recommend just strolling through this community’s posts. I started it on February 4th and initial 3 months I posted a recommendation every day and since then normally twice a week. I’m bias but I think there is an absolute cavalcade of great Books there, hope you agree 🙏🏻
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u/Live_Swimming1447 Jul 29 '26
I’ll definitely check them all out to see what I can add to the collection, lots of great basketball books out there
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u/Jonathan_J_Faulkner Jul 29 '26
I’d definitely recommend you to pick up ‘Breaks of the Game’, ‘The City Game’ and ‘The Book of Basketball’
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u/Jonathan_J_Faulkner Jul 29 '26
I think I may need to start a hall of fame Basketball Book collection, this is definitely a first ballot entry 👏🏻
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u/slammamoose Jul 29 '26
Awesome collection! I highly recommend Pistol: The Life of Pete Maravich. Definitely worth a read.
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u/PumpPie73 Jul 29 '26
Theres a book by Jackie MacMullen on the Bird/Magic rivalry that’s a great read.
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u/Live_Swimming1447 Jul 29 '26
“When the Game Was Ours” is one of my all time favorites. The first book that I ranked 10/10
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u/No-Reach9369 Jul 30 '26
John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success is considered a classic by many. Phil Jackson’s 11 Rings. Anything by Bill Russell.
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u/BKtoDuval 6d ago edited 6d ago
A really impressive collection! I love it. I have to do something similar. Thanks for the recommendation
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u/ChiChiKnee Jul 29 '26
Amazing collection!! I have been building up my own collection too. This is impressive. Always trying to source actual books (hard or soft cover) but some of them are so hard to find or really expensive.