Rapture: Fifteen Teams, Four Countries, One NBA Championship, and How to Find a Way to Win -- Damn Near Anywhere

by Nick Nurse, Michael Sokolove (With), Phil Jackson (Foreword by)

Overview

Nick Nurse distills the wisdom, insight, and experiences that helped him lead the Toronto Raptors to the NBA championship in his first year as head coach. Foreword by Phil Jackson.
 NBA fans had modest  expectations for rookie coach Nick Nurse and his Toronto Raptors. But what those naysayers didn't realize was that Nurse had spent the past thirty years proving himself at every level of the game, from youth programs and college ball to the NBA D League and Britain's struggling pro circuit. While few coaches have taken such a circuitous path to pro basketball's promised land, the journey-which began at Kuemper Catholic high school in Carroll, Iowa-forged a coach who proved to be as unshakable as he is personable.

On the road, he is known to bring his guitar and keyboard for late-night jazz and blues sessions. In the locker room, he's steadfast and even-keeled regardless of the score. On the court, he pulls out old-school tactics with astounding success. A rookie in name but a veteran in attitude, Nurse is seemingly above the chaos of the game and, with only two seasons on his résumé, has already established himself as one of the NBA's most admired head coaches.

Now, in this revealing new book-equal parts personal memoir, leadership mani­festo, and philosophical meditation-Nurse tells his own story. Given unprecedented access inside the Raptors' locker room, readers get an intimate study of not only the team culture he has built, but also of a rookie coach's unique dynamic with the star players-such as Kawhi Leonard, Kyle Low­ry, and Pascal Siakam-who helped trail­blaze the 2019 championship run. As much for readers of Ray Dalio as for fans of John Wooden and Pat Summitt, Rapture promis­es to be a necessary read for anyone looking to forge their own path to success.

 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316540162
Publisher:	Little, Brown and Company
Publication date:	10/13/2020
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
File size:	12 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Nick Nurse, born and raised in Carroll, Iowa, is an American basketball coach and is currently coaching the Toronto Raptors in the NBA.

Michael Sokolove is a longtime contributing writer for the New York Times Magazine and the author of seven previous books.

Table of Contents

Foreword Phil Jackson ix

Prologue 3

Chapter 1 Carroll, Iowa 9

A foundation built up from a pole-vault pit

Chapter 2 You Are Not Going to Ithaca, New York 25

My father's voice, echoing through time

Chapter 3 London Calling 39

Also on the line: Derby, Birmingham, Manchester, and Brighton

Chapter 4 An American Abroad 55

Mr. V wants to see you. Hurry, hurry!

Chapter 5 An Iowa Homecoming 73

How to get the (bleep) back up

Chapter 6 Freedom in the Huddle 89

Lessons from Dr. Victory

Chapter 7 Hoops Lab in the Rio Grande 107

Disruption on the hardwood

Chapter 8 Toronto 119

Putting what I thought I knew to the test

Chapter 9 Flathead Lake, Montana 145

Spitting out cherry pits with Phil Jackson

Chapter 10 Toronto, This Time as Head Coach 159

Learning that my voice is a finite resource

Chapter 11 Along the Eighty-Two-Game Road 181

Coaching on parallel tracks

Chapter 12 Orlando and Onward 201

The playoffs arrive

Chapter 13 We the North 219

The Raptors are NBA champions

Epilogue 239

Acknowledgments 245

Index 247

Editorial Reviews

05/25/2020

In this enthusiastic memoir, Toronto Raptors head coach Nurse details his decades-long path to winning an NBA championship. Before landing in his position with the Raptors, Nurse had a fairly nontraditional résumé: one year in Belgium and four stints coaching in the British Basketball League (including the Brighton Bears beginning in 2001, where as part owner of the team he had to beg banks for credit). When the Bears franchise folded, he returned to Iowa in 2007, where he put flyers on windshields to get work as a shooting coach, while lobbying for the creation of a D-league team in Des Moines so he could coach it. “There’s a fine line between entrepreneurial and desperate,” he writes. Throughout the obscure championships and job changes, Nurse developed a strategy—being brutally honest with players while also earnestly listening to their suggestions—which earned him a spot as an NBA assistant coach with the Toronto Raptors in 2013. Nurse comes across as grateful and resourceful in recounting his circuitous route to pro basketball glory. The narrative loses some momentum when Nurse chronicles the Raptors’ 2019 championship run, but his down-to-earth approach more than makes up for it. This inspiring take on turning a dream into a dream job is pure joy for basketball fans. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

When the Toronto Raptors clinched our country’s first NBA Championship in the spring of 2019, they created a once-in-a-lifetime moment that brought Canadians together. Through Coach Nick’s leadership and vision, this hard-fought victory brought us to our feet, inspired heroes and role models for our children, and united us all. The Raptors are truly Canada’s team – and we’re proud of the exceptional role Coach Nick plays.”—The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

“There’s plenty in this book for everyone. Whether you’re a coach, player or just a curious person, Nick’s journey reveals many lessons in the pursuit of personal growth and excellence – and the benefits that accrue to those willing to bet on themselves.”—Steve Nash, eight-time NBA All-Star

“Nick Nurse didn’t just work his way to the top. He lead his way to the top. He’s won everywhere he’s been as a coach for a reason. His leadership, story and principles will encourage and empower you. This book is a must read!”—Jon Gordon, bestselling author of The Power of Positive Leadership

"A first rate basketball book."—Booklist

"An engaging account for fans of the Toronto Raptors or for readers who also enjoyed Phil Jackson’s Eleven Rings."—Library Journal

This inspiring take on turning a dream into a dream job is pure joy for basketball fans. —Publishers Weekly

"The true story of a basketball coach taking the long, often difficult road to the NBA."—Kirkus

From the Publisher

08/01/2020

Nurse, head coach of the Toronto Raptors, recounts his unconventional path to winning an NBA championship in 2019. After playing college basketball at Northern Iowa, he became the youngest head coach in the NCAA at age 23. He spent the next decade coaching and winning championships in the British Basketball League. Returning to the United States, he coached the D-League teams Iowa Energy and Rio Grande Vipers. He credits this international and D-League experience with not only exposing him to new styles of play, but also developing better ways to communicate with players. The second half of the book details the 2018–2019 seasion of the Toronto Raptors, including the acquisition of NBA superstar Kawhi Leonard. Nurse describes the pressure of overcoming past playoff failures, while documenting the team's surprising 2019 NBA championship over the Golden State Warriors. Sharing his coaching philosophy, he advocates listening to players and giving them a voice to lead. He recognizes the stress that players face, and shows how he works with them to elevate their skills to find success. VERDICT An engaging account for fans of the Toronto Raptors or for readers who also enjoyed Phil Jackson's Eleven Rings.—Chris Wilkes, Tazewell Cty. P.L., VA

Library Journal

2020-04-27
The true story of a basketball coach taking the long, often difficult road to the NBA.

Today, Nurse is the well-known and -respected head coach of the Toronto Raptors, who won the NBA title last year, as well as the Canadian men’s national team. However, he was hardly an overnight sensation, serving years as an assistant coach for teams in London as well as teams in the NBA’s minor league, the D-League. Along the way, he also earned a master’s degree in educational psychology, played jazz in nightclubs, and soaked up knowledge of the game from legendary figures such as Phil Jackson, who contributes the foreword. Co-authored with New York Times Magazine contributing writer Sokolove, this is a pleasing story even for readers who aren’t die-hard basketball fans. Nurse dutifully records some of his autobiography: growing up in an enormous household in remote Carroll, Iowa, with eight siblings, a teacher mother, and a somewhat stern father who served in World War II and made his living as a mail carrier and house painter. The book is full of Midwestern common sense, but interwoven among Nurse’s choices and elevation to the top of his profession are lessons that can apply to many other trades. However, Nurse’s leadership abilities aren’t just second nature, but the result of years of thoughtful and compassionate interactions with his players, owners, and fans. In addition to his focusing on the crucial art of shooting, he lets his players have their own voices while stressing the importance of “intensity of effort…and utter and complete devotion to getting better at your chosen field.” His philosophy also encompasses “FEAR,” which stands for “face everything and rise,” and his summary of his approach to his life and career is blunt and easily digestible: “You get out of it what you put in.”

A clearly delineated sports memoir featuring a series of sturdy lessons.

Kirkus Reviews