A Book to Mark NBA-ABA Merger
June 17 marks the silver anniversary of the NBA-ABA merger. Want to brush up on this seminal event in American sports history, a grueling agreement that laid the groundwork for Magic, Michael, Kobe, LeBron, Steph, and the modern NBA? If so, get your hands on a copy of my book Balls of Confusion, described by readers in…
John Johnson: Hello Houston, We Have a Problem, 1977
When the Houston Rockets traded John Johnson to Boston in June, Johnson thought he was a Celtic, Red Auerbach thought he was a Celtic, and so did Ray Patterson.
Golden State’s Big Three: Mitch Richmond, Chris Mullin, Tim Hardaway, 1991
All three of them, in fact, avoid the spotlight whenever possible, whatever the circumstance.
James Worthy: Steady Star in a Glitzy Town, 1991
Over the past five seasons, Worthy has firmly—if unspectacularly—established himself as one of the NBA’s top forwards.
Jerry Sloan: The Game I’ll Never Forget, 1975
After that season, that group of Bulls never did much. We were a team at the end of the road; age and injuries then tore us apart.
What They Say About Lew Alcindor, 1968
What follows is a sampling of what people—players, writers, coaches, and teammates—have to say about Lew Alcindor.
Ralph Sampson: Why He Can’t Be a Winner in Houston, 1986
The fact is that while Sampson may stand 7-4, his game has never been that of a traditional low-post center.
The Flops of the Game, 1976
No longer will a particularly ruthless assault on the basketball court be known as “a flagrant foul.” Henceforth it shall be known as a “Cowens.”
The Trauma of Truck Robinson, 1979
The next night, Truck Robinson officially joins the Suns. Playing a tough San Antonio team, Robinson scored 13 points and grabs five rebounds in the first quarter.
Rod Hundley: Clown, 1971
Life had been a ball, never to be taken seriously, and now it was in deadly earnest. “I’m the only Laker who never got a raise. I made $10,000 every year I’ve been with the team.”
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