Have you ever wondered what it truly feels like to hit a game winning shot in the NBA Finals? Or what goes through a player’s mind during a grueling 82-game season? While we can lace up our sneakers and hit the court, the deepest secrets, fiercest rivalries, and most profound personal triumphs of basketball’s greatest icons often happen far from the public eye. That’s where great memoirs or biographies come in. These books are your all-access pass, taking you from the cracked concrete of the playground to the gleaming hardwood of the world’s most famous arenas. We’ve compiled the ultimate reading list for any hoops fan. Here are the best basketball memoirs and biographies of all time.
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5 Basketball Memoirs And Biographies Considered the Best of All Time
Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success by Phil Jackson, Hugh Delehanty
Goodreads Rating: 4.19 / 5
Published in 2013
In his captivating memoir Eleven Rings, legendary coach Phil Jackson pulls back the curtain on the unique philosophy that propelled him to an unprecedented eleven NBA championships.
The Mamba Mentality: How I Play by Kobe Bryant
Goodreads Rating: 4.26 / 5
Published in 2018
The Mamba Mentality: How I Play is not a traditional memoir but an immersive experience from the mind of basketball icon Kobe BryantBryant’s detailed accounts are paired with stunning photographs by the Hall of Fame photographer Andrew D. Bernstein.. This book is his detailed blueprint for excellence, offering an unparalleled look into the intense focus, meticulous preparation, and relentless obsession that defined his legendary career.
Michael Jordan: The Life by Roland Lazenby
Goodreads Rating: 4.31 / 5
Published in 2013
Roland Lazenby’s “Michael Jordan: The Life” is widely regarded as the definitive, most comprehensive biography of the man who became a global icon. It is a deep, nuanced portrait that explores the profound duality of Jordan’s character.
Shaq Uncut: My Story by Shaquille O’Neal
Goodreads Rating: 4.06 / 5
Published in 2011
In Shaq Uncut: My Story, the larger-than-life legend pulls no punches in this wildly entertaining and surprisingly candid autobiography. Shaquille O’Neal is a force of nature, and this book captures his colossal personality in all its unfiltered glory.
The Sixth Man by Andre Iguodala
Goodreads Rating: 4.07 / 5
Published in 2019
Andre Iguodala’s The Sixth Man is a thoughtful, introspective, and deeply personal exploration of race, business, and identity from one of the NBA’s most respected intellectuals. Fresh off a championship with the Golden State Warriors, Iguodala uses his journey, from his childhood in Springfield, Illinois, to his role as the pivotal “sixth man” on a dynasty, as a lens to examine much larger forces.
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