Explores the life of the man who came from humble origins to become one of basketball's biggest stars.

New York Times Bestseller The record-holding two-time NBA champion and recently inducted hall-of-famer reflects on his work ethic, his on-the-court friendships and rivalries, the great teams he's played for, and what it takes to have a long and successful career in this thoughtful, in-depth memoir. Playing in the NBA for eighteen years, Ray Allen won championships with the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat and entered the record books as the original king of the three-point shot. Known as one of the hardest-working and highest-achieving players in NBA history, this most dedicated competitor was legendary for his sharp shooting. From the Outside, complete with a foreword by Spike Lee, is his story in his words: a no-holds-barred look at his life and career, filled with behind-the-scenes stories and surprising revelations about the game he has always cherished. Allen talks openly about his fellow players, coaches, owners, and friends, including LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Garnett. He reveals how, as a kid growing up in a military family, he learned about responsibility and respect—the key to making those perfect free throws and critical three-point shots. From the Outside is the portrait of a gifted athlete and a serious man with a strongly defined philosophy about the game and the right way it should be played—a philosophy that, at times, set him apart from colleagues and coaches, while inspiring so many others, and lead to the most pivotal shot of his career: the unforgettable 3-pointer in the final seconds of Game 6 of the 2013 NBA finals against the San Antonio Spurs. Throughout, Allen makes clear that success in basketball is as much about what happens off the court as on, that devotion and commitment are the true essence of the game—and of life itself.

The inspiration for the HBO documentary from Academy Award–winning producer Alex Gibney. The #1 New York Times bestseller based on years of reporting and interviews with more than 250 people from every corner of Tiger Woods’s life—this “comprehensive, propulsive…and unsparing” (The New Yorker) biography is “an ambitious 360-degree portrait of golf’s most scrutinized figure…brimming with revealing details” (Golf Digest). In 2009, Tiger Woods was the most famous athlete on the planet, a transcendent star of almost unfathomable fame and fortune living what appeared to be the perfect life. But it turned out he had been living a double life for years—one that exploded in the aftermath of a Thanksgiving night crash that exposed his serial infidelity and sent his personal and professional lives over a cliff. In this “searing biography of golf’s most blazing talent” (GOLF magazine), Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian dig deep behind the headlines to produce a richly reported answer to the question that has mystified millions of sports fans for nearly a decade: who is Tiger Woods, really? Drawing on more than four hundred interviews with people from every corner of Woods’s life—many of whom have never spoken about him on the record before—Benedict and Keteyian construct a captivating psychological profile of a mixed race child programmed by an attention-grabbing father and the original Tiger Mom to be the “chosen one,” to change not just the game of golf, but the world as well. But at what cost? Benedict and Keteyian provide the starling answers in this definitive biography that is destined to linger in the minds of readers for years to come. “Irresistible…Immensely readable…Benedict and Keteyian bring us along for the ride in a whirlwind of a biography that reads honest and true” (The Wall Street Journal). Ultimately, Tiger Woods is “a big American story…exhilarating, depressing, tawdry, and moving in almost equal measure” (The New York Times).

"If you are a basketball fan, you should be aware of Spencer Haywood's immense historical importance. If you're not aware, you should be." —Bob Ryan, The Boston Globe Hall of Famer, Olympic gold medalist, MVP, and All-Star could all be used to describe the illustrious career of Spencer Haywood on the hardwood. From picking cotton in rural Mississippi to the historic 1968 Olympics to Winning ABA MVP to the battle with the NBA that would go all the way to the Supreme Court and change the league forever, Spencer Haywood's life has been a microcosm of 20th-century sports and culture. One of the most dominant big men of his era, Haywood burst onto the international scene as a teenager with a revelatory performance at the Mexico City Olympics. Yet, while his basketball career was just beginning back in that summer of '68, it was only one of many notable moments in the extraordinary and fateful life of the big man from Silver City, Mississippi. In The Spencer Haywood Rule, Marc J. Spears of ESPN's The Undefeated and Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe worked with Spencer to tell the remarkable story of a man who was born into indentured servitude in rural Mississippi, and all of the unbelievable trials, tribulations, successes, failures, and redemptions that followed. Haywood would go on to be the ABA Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season, but his triumphs on the court are only part of the?legend. His winding journey off the court saw him challenge the NBA's draft-entry rules and win at the Supreme Court level; run in New York City high-fashion circles in the mid-70s with his then-wife, supermodel Iman; and bottom out with alcohol and drug addiction during the infancy of the Showtime Lakers dynasty.? Spears and Washburn explore how Haywood's impact was felt throughout the NBA and in society at large—and still is to this day—culminating in Haywood's inspiring second act as an advocate for current and retired NBA players alike.

Part reference, part trivia, part brain teaser, and absolutely the most unusual and thorough compendium of basketball stats and facts ever assembled! Did you know that Wilt Chamberlain and Wes Unseld are the only two players in basketball history to win both the Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards in the same season? Or that Mark Jackson had more than 10,000 assists in his career, but is not in the Hall of Fame? How about that Kevin Love has the longest consecutive streak of double-doubles, with 53? Inspired by The Baseball Maniac’s Almanac—first created by legendary sportswriter Bert Randolph Sugar—The Basketball Maniac’s Almanac includes thousands of fascinating lists, tables, data, and stimulating facts never before compiled in one place! Inside, you’ll find all of the big name basketball heroes like Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, LeBron James, Rick Barry, Kevin Durant, Jerry West, Ray Allen, Kobe Bryant, and a lot of information that will be new to even the most devoted fans: Hall of Famers drafted #1 overall Points leaders by state of birth Most blocked shots by players under six-feet tall Career leaders in four-points plays Oldest player selected to an All-Star Game Players with career Quadruple-Doubles Former ABA players leading the NBA in 3-pointers Most career technical fouls Fathers and sons both drafted in the first round Coaches winning Coach of the Year award and championship in the same season And so much more! Not just a collection of facts or records, this is a book of glorious fun that will astound even the most bookish basketball fan. Read up and amaze your friends, family, and anyone who loves the game of basketball!

I'm on top of the world!" shouted Kevin Garnett after the Boston Celtics demolished the heavily favored Los Angeles Lakers for a league-leading seventeenth NBA championship. Peter May chronicles the amazing run of the team, who went from having the second-worst record in 2007 to leading the pack in 2008.Drawing on interviews with the players, Coach Doc Rivers, and General Manager Danny Ainge, May charts the pivotal moments of the Celtics' magical season. From rebuilding the team to capping off their stunning year with another championship,Top of the Worldbrings readers every key moment of the Celtics' wild ride.