Overview

In this first biography of sport icon Jerry West--whose distinctive silhouette comprises the NBA logo--award-winning reporter and author Roland Lazenby traces the basketball legend's brilliant career from the coalfields near Cabin Creek, West Virginia, to the bare-knuckled pre-expansion era of the NBA, from the Lakers' Riley-Magic-Kareem Showtime era to the Jackson-Kobe-Shaq teams of the early twenty-first century, and beyond. In his capacity as an executive, West reached out to successive generations of players to enrich and shape the sport in immeasurable ways. Though sometimes overshadowed by flashier peers on the court, Jerry West nevertheless stands out as the heart and soul of a league that, in fifty years, has become a global phenomenon. Granted exclusive interviews with Jerry West's teammates, colleagues, and family members, Roland Lazenby provides the ultimate story of a man who has done more to shape basketball than anyone on the planet.

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9780345510846

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Reviews

A superior account of one of American sports' most compelling, complicated figures. -- Los Angeles Times Going beyond the facade of the multifaceted NBA legend . . . [Roland] Lazenby accurately captures the inner man, his quirks, his rituals, his competitiveness. . . . This book [is] a great example of old school sports bio without tabloid muck, satisfying all fans. -- Publishers Weekly A thoughtful, serious biography of an athlete both blessed and cursed by talent and a competitive spirit. -- Booklist (starred review)

A superior account of one of American sports' most compelling, complicated figures. -- Los Angeles Times Going beyond the facade of the multifaceted NBA legend . . . [Roland] Lazenby accurately captures the inner man, his quirks, his rituals, his competitiveness. . . . This book [is] a great example of old school sports bio without tabloid muck, satisfying all fans. -- Publishers Weekly A thoughtful, serious biography of an athlete both blessed and cursed by talent and a competitive spirit. -- Booklist (starred review)

A superior account of one of American sports' most compelling, complicated figures. -- Los Angeles Times<br> <br> Going beyond the facade of the multifaceted NBA legend . . . [Roland] Lazenby accurately captures the inner man, his quirks, his rituals, his competitiveness. . . . This book [is] a great example of old school sports bio without tabloid muck, satisfying all fans. -- Publishers Weekly <br><br> A thoughtful, serious biography of an athlete both blessed and cursed by talent and a competitive spirit. -- Booklist (starred review)

Author Information

Roland Lazenby has taught journalism at Virginia Tech and Radford University for two decades and is the author of Mindgames: The Long, Strange Journey of Phil Jackson and The Show: The Inside Story of the Los Angeles Lakers, among other books. He is a frequent contributor to sports documentaries, including ESPN's Sports Century, and a regular guest on television and radio programs. Lazenby's work has been cited in numerous publications and websites, including Sports Illustrated, the Washington Post, and NBA.com. From the Hardcover edition.

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