NBA 75: The Definitive History

by Dave Zarum

Overview

The most iconic moments and stories of the NBA.

In NBA 75, sports writer and basketball super fan Dave Zarum tells the story of the NBA, all 75 years — from its early barnstorming days to the multi-billion-dollar sports league it is today.

Readers are treated to all the biggest moments and greatest superstars, with over 75 stories ranging from Jerry West's 33-win streak Lakers, through Jordan's repeat three-peat Bulls, to Steph Curry and the 73-win Warriors and beyond.

But this retrospective doesn't shy away from the league's controversies, covering its struggles with racial bigotry, Magic Jonson's HIV diagnosis, Len Bias's tragic draft-night death, and the league's cocaine-fuelled late seventies when the Finals were broadcast tape-delayed.

Each story is fully illustrated with iconic photos and accompanied by stat boxes and side stories of some of the Association's more curious and overlooked moments.

Some of the events covered in NBA 75:

• 1946: The first professional basketball game between the New York Knicks and the Toronto Huskies
• 1969: The legendary duels between Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell
• 1976: The merger of the ABA and NBA
• 1980: The arrival of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson
• 1993: Air Jordan and his Bulls dynasty
• 2006: Kobe Bryant scores 81 points
• 2010: LeBron James makes his Miami decision
• 2016: Steph Curry and the Warriors blow a 3-1 lead
• 2020: The COVID-19 stoppage in play and the Bubble.

NBA 75 is the definitive guide to the history of the NBA — perfect for anyone who wants to learn more about the league they love or simply catch up on what they've been missing.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780228102908
Publisher:	Firefly Books, Limited
Publication date:	10/08/2020
Edition description:	Expanded and Updated
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	138,407
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Dave Zarum is a Toronto-born writer and editor who began his journalism career at Toronto Life magazine. In 2011, he was part of the launch of Sportsnet magazine, where he won a National Magazine Award. He was the editor for The Big Book of Sports Lists and wrote for the television series based on the book, and authored The Greatest Game, an oral history of the 1989 Grey Cup.

Editorial Reviews

09/14/2020

Sportswriter Zarum chronicles the 75 years of the National Basketball Association’s alternately painful and explosive growth, to the $4 billion behemoth it is today, in this thoroughly researched photographic history of the organization. Bold-faced names and immediately recognizable faces are featured throughout—notably the various dynasties of the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers, and the worldwide popularity of Michael Jordan (and the Chicago Bulls). But Zarum addresses often overlooked highs and lows. The arrival of Black players during the Jim Crow era gets due coverage, as does the introduction of the 24-second shot clock (“With teams sitting on the ball—sometimes literally—basketball was becoming boring”) and the impact of forgotten legends such as Dolph Schayes and Elgin Baylor. The photographs provide a visual narrative—the shorts get longer; white faces become less prominent as Black players begin to dominate lineups; the jumps get higher—outlining the significant cultural and historical shifts behind the rise of a sport that at one point could barely engage a television audience. Packed with facts and action-shot photos, this is an ideal resource for hoops fans. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

Any fan of the sport will enjoy this complete edition, a keepsake for those who love to follow the bouncing ball and their favorite stars.

Shelf Life

The definitive guide to the history of the NBA, and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, college and university library American Sports History collections. This comprehensive coffee table volume is an ideal instructional reference for all dedicated basketball fans.

Midwest Book Review