First Round Lottery Pick


Book Description

Langston Holiday lives with his no-nonsense mother in the gritty public housing projects of Poindexter Village, better known as "The Vil," after his father abandons them. Without any assistance, his mother is determined to make a man out of Langston—and she's doing a pretty good job. By the end of his senior year, Langston is one of the best high-school basketball players in the nation. That's when he makes the biggest decision of his life: to forgo college and enter the professional ranks. When word hits the streets about Langston's success, his newfound wealth stirs up plenty of envy in the projects, sparking a wave of unthinkable drama and crime. He's being relentlessly pursued by Toy Daniels, a has-been athlete who's determined to sign Langston to his newly formed sports agency. Langston's best friend, Jalen, becomes involved in shady dealings with people who are known for nothing but trouble, and his girlfriend, Tori, is quickly becoming fed up with Langston's wandering ways. Suddenly, Langston doesn't know who he can trust. This gripping novel from bestselling author Franklin White realistically depicts the pitfalls of basketball stardom, when large amounts of money fall into the hands of people who've never known anything but poverty and struggle.




First Round Lottery Pick


Book Description

Langston Holiday lives with his no-nonsense mother in the gritty public housing projects of Poindexter Village, better known as "The Vil," after his father abandons them. Without any assistance, his mother is determined to make a man out of Langston--and she's doing a pretty good job. By the end of his senior year, Langston is one of the best high-school basketball players in the nation. That's when he makes the biggest decision of his life: to forgo college and enter the professional ranks. When word hits the streets about Langston's success, his newfound wealth stirs up plenty of envy in the projects, sparking a wave of unthinkable drama and crime. He's being relentlessly pursued by Toy Daniels, a has-been athlete who's determined to sign Langston to his newly formed sports agency. Langston's best friend, Jalen, becomes involved in shady dealings with people who are known for nothing but trouble, and his girlfriend, Tori, is quickly becoming fed up with Langston's wandering ways. Suddenly, Langston doesn't know who he can trust. This gripping novel from bestselling author Franklin White realistically depicts the pitfalls of basketball stardom, when large amounts of money fall into the hands of people who've never known anything but poverty and struggle.




The Lottery


Book Description

A seemingly ordinary village participates in a yearly lottery to determine a sacrificial victim.




Tip-Off


Book Description

The 1984 NBA draft is most remembered as the one where Michael Jordan slipped to third behind number-one pick Hakeem Olajuwon...and the immortal Sam Bowie. You could understand the Houston Rockets choosing Olajuwon, but how on earth could the Portland Trailblazers pass up Jordan for the injury-prone Bowie? For the first time, Filip Bondy pieces together the entire backstory of the draft: from Michael Jordan's indecision over whether he should declare himself eligible for the NBA draft after his junior year...to Charles Barkley's calculated attempt to avoid being drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers and to improve his position at the Olympic trials...to the trades that were considered but fatefully never made.




Players First


Book Description

Now with a new chapter on the Wildcats' legendary comeback in the 2014 Final Four John Calipari, one of the most successful coaches in NCAA history, presents the world of college basketball from the coach's chair, unvarnished and straight from the heart. Players First is Calipari's account of his first six years coaching the University of Kentucky men's team, leading it to a national championship in 2012 and the championship game in 2014, all while dealing with the realities of the "one-and-done" mentality and an NCAA that sometimes seems to put players last. Filled with revelatory stories about what it takes to succeed at the highest level of the college game, Players First is a candid look at the great players and rivalries that have filled Calipari's life with joy and a sense of purpose.




Fantasy Football For Dummies


Book Description

Packed with expert advice and timely tips The fun and easy way to guide your American football team to glory in fantasy football Fantasy football can be an addictive hobby. But if you've never played American football before, how do you start? Have no fear! This friendly guide explains the game to you from start to finish -- from scouting and drafting your players to building your coaching skills to planning your strategy. And who knows, perhaps even to tasting victory in your league championship! Understand the basics of the game Pick the league right for you Assemble your dream team in the draft Develop your in-season management skills Know which quick fixes work and what common mistakes to avoid




We Are America, We Are Americans


Book Description

We Are America, We Are Americans By: Matt Teahan A Journey through life (at least part of it)... and the lessons learned… and in a rare instance…. taught. In this quasi-autobiography, I answer the confounding questions of our day through a riveting (for some people) journey of all topics relevant. Is the United States of America really a Christian Nation? Where has this Country’s corporate leadership gone? Why would anyone waste an entire adolescence refining their basketball jump shot? Why has the moral compass in Professional Sports disappeared into the abyss of political wokeness? Why do we need to ban plastic straws and not water bottles…..particularly if Climate Change is going to kill us all in 9 years, anyway? How do we pay reparations for people of mixed race? How can chicken sandwiches galvanize and legitimize the LGBT community? What did I share with the Pope at the sacred site of Fatima? What’s it going to take to get millennials off Twitter, out of Mom’s basement and into Church? Why is ‘systemic ignorance’ a far greater threat to this country than anything else ‘systemic’? I’ll introduce a toxic blend of fact, fiction, criticism, sarcasm, reality, inquiry, and humor into the topics of the day. And I’ll blend my shallow, yet relevant, life experiences into the mix where it’s almost impossible to tell the difference. You may get bored. You might not. You may or may not like my viewpoints. You might not even like me. But you won’t be the first nor the last. I think, however, everyone will find something here they can relate to. Whether it’s basketball, friends, God, politics, a career, or the social issues of the day there’s something for everybody. Even for those who rarely open a book, like today’s College students. For them I’ve included pictures. See! Something for everybody!! And although some of my viewpoints you may frown upon, you will appreciate the humor, anecdotes, multiple geography lessons, ridicule, sarcasm, and blatant hypocrisy that I’ll expose on any number of topics. All shrouded in the novel concept called ‘common sense’. And if you don’t like to read about those types of things, then don’t buy the book. Get it at the library. I started this book on July 4th, 2020. And I did it for a reason.




Blue Blood


Book Description

Blue Blood is a thrilling chronicle of the Duke-Carolina rivalry as it has evolved over the last fifty years. With unparalleled insider access, veteran journalist and author Art Chansky details the colorful, revered, and respected rivalry--for the first time ever. "It's not about me versus Dean, or me against Roy or Dean against Vic Bubas. Duke and Carolina will be here forever."--Mike Krzyzewski For fifty years the rivalry between Duke and Carolina has featured famous brawls, endless controversy, long-nurtured hatred--and some of the best basketball ever played in the history of the sport. For Duke and UNC players and fans, the competition is not about winning a prize, trophy or title--it's about bragging rights and raw pride. The Duke-Carolina rivalry has fostered more than thirty former players from the two schools playing or coaching in the NBA; it has enchanted a nation of spectators to watch games between the archrivals--garnering some of the highest regular-season TV ratings in history. Blue Blood celebrates the history of this rivalry, the traditions, the heritage, and, most importantly--spectacular basketball.




The Comeback: LeBron, the Cavs & Cleveveland


Book Description

This epic homecoming tale recounts one of the greatest sports stories in Cleveland history — how LeBron James and the Cavaliers took fans on a roller coaster ride from despair to hope and, finally, to glory as the 2016 NBA champions. Fans felt gut-punched in 2010 when local hero and MVP LeBron James announced he was leaving the Cavaliers and Northeast Ohio for Miami. The Cavs nose-dived in the standings and struggled to recover. Then, in June 2014, LeBron announced he was coming home. And he had a mission: Lead the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals and give Cleveland its first championship in 52 years. But would LeBron’s return be enough to restore his reputation, revive the franchise, and reward long-suffering Cleveland fans? Award-winning sportswriter Terry Pluto tells how it all happened. How LeBron won back fans with a heartfelt message — and savvy PR . . . How the Cavs’ front office crafted a championship-caliber team with a big three of James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love and a bench stocked not only with talent but character and chemistry . . . How LeBron’s added experience from four seasons and two titles in Miami prepared him for this second chance in Cleveland . . . How the Cavaliers reached the 2016 NBA Finals to face a Golden State Warriors team, led by MVP Stephen Curry, that had just set an NBA record for wins and had vanquished the Cavs in the Finals the previous season . . . How LeBron and the Cavs, down a historically hopeless three games to one, sparked an unprecedented come-from-behind surge (symbolized by LeBron’s superhuman block in Game 7) to stun Golden State and bring home the NBA Championship . . . And how the ecstatic fans joined the team in a joyful celebration that brought more than a million people together in downtown Cleveland. Pluto tells it all with insightful analysis, extensive front-office details, and a deep empathy for the fans.




The Capital of Basketball


Book Description

Washington DC isn't celebrated for basketball. But the Washington area stands second to none in its contributions to the game. Countless figures who have had a significant impact on the sport over the years have roots in the region, including E.B. Henderson, the first African-American certified to teach physical education in public schools in the United States and Earl Lloyd, the first African-American to take the court in an actual NBA game. The District of Columbia's Spingarn High School produced two players - Elgin Baylor and Dave Bing - that are recognized among the NBA's 50 greatest at the League's 50th anniversary celebration. No other high school in the country can make that claim. These figures and many others who have been a part of Washington's basketball past are chronicled in this book, the first-ever comprehensive look at the great high school players, teams and accomplishments in the DC metropolitan area. Based on more than 150 interviews, The Capital of Basketball is first and foremost a book about basketball. But in discussing the trends and evolution of the game, the books also uncovers the turmoil in the lives of the players and area residents as they dealt with issues such as prejudice, education, politics, and the ways the area has changed through the years.