The soul of basketball : the epic showdown between LeBron, Kobe, Doc, and Dirk that saved the NBA

The bastard -- The decision -- The game -- The tradition -- The entrepreneur -- The all-star -- The trade -- The odyssey -- The higher calling -- The immigrant -- The conflict -- The twelfth star -- The finals -- The sheriff -- The triumph.;A chronicle of the transformations throughout the NBA that played out during the 2010-2011 season traces the particular stories of LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Doc Rivers, Dirk Nowitzki and other stars who were at the forefront of significant league changes.;"Tells the story of an NBA prodigy, his league and their sport in the throes of crisis during the pivotal 2010-11 season. It began with The Decision, that infamous televised moment when über-star LeBron James revealed that he was leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers--thereby distancing himself from his role model Michael Jordan--to pursue his first championship with his former opponents on the Miami Heat. To the great fortune of LeBron, the NBA and basketball itself, the mission didn't work out as planned. In the cultural tradition of Moneyball and Friday Night Lights, veteran NBA writer Ian Thomsen portrays the NBA as a self-correcting society in which young LeBron is forced to absorb hard truths inflicted by his rivals Kobe Bryant, Doc Rivers and Dirk Nowitzki, in addition to lessons set forth by Pat Riley, Gregg Popovich, Larry Bird, David Stern, Joey Crawford and many more. This is about the making of a champion. Brimming with inside access, The Soul of Basketball tells the inspiring story of LeBron's loneliest year, insecure and uncertain, when his ultimate foe was an unlikely immigrant who renewed the American game's ideals. From Miami to Boston, Los Angeles to Dallas, Germany to the NBA's Manhattan headquarters, the biggest names in basketball are driven by something more valuable than money and fame--a quest that will pave the way for Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and future generations to thrive."--Dust jacket “A fascinating, thorough look at pro basketball’s continuing evolution to becoming the ‘sport of the American Dream.’”— Publishers Weekly The Soul of Basketball tells the story of an NBA prodigy, his league, and their sport in the throes of crisis during the pivotal 2010-11 season. It began with The Decision, that infamous televised moment when uber-star LeBron James revealed that he was leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers—thereby distancing himself from his role model Michael Jordan—to pursue his first championship with his former opponents on the Miami Heat. To the great fortune of LeBron, the NBA, and basketball itself, the mission didn’t work out as planned. In this book, veteran NBA writer Ian Thomsen portrays the NBA as a self-correcting society in which young LeBron is forced to absorb hard truths inflicted by his rivals Kobe Bryant, Doc Rivers, and Dirk Nowitzki, in addition to lessons set forth by Pat Riley, Gregg Popovich, Larry Bird, David Stern, Joey Crawford, and many more. Brimming with inside access, The Soul of Basketball tells the inspiring story of LeBron’s loneliest year, insecure and uncertain, when his ultimate foe was an unlikely immigrant who renewed the American game’s ideals. From Miami to Boston, Los Angeles to Dallas, Germany to the NBA’s Manhattan headquarters, the biggest names in basketball are driven by something more valuable than money and fame—a quest that would pave the way for Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and future generations to thrive. “Ian Thomsen provides an antidote to the fast-food, twitter feed of instant information consumption...deft prose and snappy anecdotes...Great, great stuff.”—Leigh Montville, New York Times- bestselling author of Sting Like a Bee “A fine work of sports journalism.”— Kirkus Reviews (starred review) The Soul of Basketball tells the story of an NBA prodigy, his league and their sport in the throes of crisis during the pivotal 2010-11 season. It began with The Decision , that infamous televised moment when uber-star LeBron James revealed that he was leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers – thereby distancing himself from his role model Michael Jordan – to pursue his first championship with his former opponents on the Miami Heat. To the great fortune of LeBron, the NBA and basketball itself, the mission didn’t work out as planned. In the cultural tradition of Moneyball and Friday Night Lights , veteran NBA writer Ian Thomsen portrays the NBA as a self-correcting society in which young LeBron is forced to absorb hard truths inflicted by his rivals Kobe Bryant, Doc Rivers and Dirk Nowitzki, in addition to lessons set forth by Pat Riley, Gregg Popovich, Larry Bird, David Stern, Joey Crawford and many more. This is about the making of a champion. Brimming with inside access, The Soul of Basketball tells the inspiring story of LeBron’s loneliest year, insecure and uncertain, when his ultimate foe was an unlikely immigrant who renewed the American game’s ideals. From Miami to Boston, Los Angeles to Dallas, Germany to the NBA’s Manhattan headquarters, the biggest names in basketball are driven by something more valuable than money and fame – a quest that will pave the way for Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and future generations to thrive. From a seasoned NBA expert and acclaimed Sports Illustrated writer, the compelling story of the last decade of the NBA, as seen through the lens of the unforgettable 2010-2011 season