" ... [T]he 2000-2001 Sixers were still trying to earn the respect of their city, on their way to one of the most exciting playoff runs in history. Told from the point of view of a teenager caught up in the moment, this exciting novel relives the thrilling and unforgettable season that lead to a David versus Goliath matuchup agains the Lakers that still has sports fans talking over a decade later"--P. [4] of cover.
HE HAS TAKEN HIS GAME -- AND THE GAME -- TO A NEW LEVEL He grew up in Virginia with nothing but his talent and his heart. But he had The Plan: his never-say-die dream to become an NBA superstar. So he began his journey down a road full of obstacles. But the world underestimated Allen Iverson.... Fear No One From his first days playing college hoops...to his turbulent early years in the pros...to his leading the Philadelphia 76ers to the 2001 NBA Finals and being named league MVP, here is the real story of controversial superstar Allen Iverson. Acclaimed sports journalist John Smallwood -- who has covered Iverson extensively -- shows readers the Iverson they never knew: the boy, the man, the rapper, the player, the role model, and the icon. Get to know ALLEN IVERSON...the man behind the legend.
Part sports star, part antihero, part hip-hop icon, Allen Iverson has managed to cross over into the mainstream of American culture -- without compromise. Defiantly tattooed, with his hair in cornrows, the six-foot Philadelphia 76ers point guard is one of the most recognizable and controversial stars of the sports world. His meteoric rise from a troubled childhood in the ghetto to NBA superstardom has been marked by five straight playoff appearances, including a finals berth in 2001 and an MVP award. From his rap sheet to his rap album, fans and journalists alike hound his every move. But never before has a biographer presented a full portrait of this complicated and intensely private star -- a man whose loyalty to his family, the streets, and his friends trumps any other concern. Filled with exclusive interview material and unprecedented access to many of Iverson's inner circle, Only the Strong Survive is the first in-depth look at the truth behind this newly minted legend.
Allen Iverson transcended race, celebrity, and pop culture and emerged from a troubled past to become one of the most successful and highly compensated athletes in the world. Babb examines what drove his successes and failures, getting behind the familiar, sanitized, and heroic version of Iverson-- the hard-charging, hard-partying athlete who played every game as if it were his last. He brings to life a private, loyal, and often generous Allen Iverson who rarely made the headlines, revealing the back story behind some of Iverson's most memorable moments, and delves deep to discover where Iverson's demons lurked. Over time, Iverson himself came to believe his own hype: that he lived in a world where celebrity is eternal and riches are everlasting.
Allen Iverson, star shooting guard for the Philadelphia 76ers, is one of the most electrifying players in the NBA. With his lightning quickness and acrobatic ball-handling skills, Iverson is virtually unstoppable on the court. Even more important than his skills on the court, however, are Allen Iverson's will and determination. These traits have enabled him to overcome tremendous adversity and become one of the greatest basketball players in the world today. Despite growing up poor, Iverson never gave up on his dream of playing pro basketball and giving his family a chance at a better life. In 1996, he was the first player picked overall in the NBA Draft. During his first six seasons, Iverson led the NBA in scoring two times and was voted the top player in the league's All-Star Game in 2001. Without a doubt, Allen Iverson is living proof that perseverance and hard work are the key components to any success story. Book jacket.
Most 76ers fans have attended a game at the Wells Fargo Center, seen highlights of a young Charles Barkley, and remember team’s trip to the 2001 NBA Finals. But only real fans can name the franchise’s 12 Hall of Famers, remember the future head coach who played guard for the team in the 1970s, or know all the words to “Here Come the Sixers”. 100 Things 76ers Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die by Gordon Jones reveals the most critical moments and important facts about past and present players, coaches, and teams that are part of the storied history that is 76ers basketball. Scattered throughout the pages, you'll find pep talks, records, and Sixers lore to test your knowledge, including: * The franchise’s beginnings as the Syracuse Nationals before moving to Philadelphia in 1963 * Both NBA Champion Sixers teams—1966-67 led by Wilt Chamberlain and the 1982-83 led by Julius Erving and Moses Malone * The memorable Sixers teams of the late 1980s and early 1990s led by Barkley * Profiles of unforgettable Colts personalities such as Billy Cunningham, Allen Iverson, and Maurice Cheeks Whether you're a die-hard fan from the early days of Chamberlain and Dr. J or a new supporter of Jrue Holiday, this book contains everything 76ers fans should know, see, and do in their lifetime. If you bleed red, royal blue, and white, then 100 Things 76ers Fans is for you. It offers the chance to be certain you are knowledgeable about the most important facts about the team, the traditions, and what being a Sixers fan is all about.
From the New York Times bestselling author of Tears We Cannot Stop "Entertaining Race is a splendid way to spend quality time reading one of the most remarkable thinkers in America today." —Speaker Nancy Pelosi "To read Entertaining Race is to encounter the life-long vocation of a teacher who preaches, a preacher who teaches and an activist who cannot rest until all are set free." —Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock For more than thirty years, Michael Eric Dyson has played a prominent role in the nation as a public intellectual, university professor, cultural critic, social activist and ordained Baptist minister. He has presented a rich and resourceful set of ideas about American history and culture. Now for the first time he brings together the various components of his multihued identity and eclectic pursuits. Entertaining Race is a testament to Dyson’s consistent celebration of the outsized impact of African American culture and politics on this country. Black people were forced to entertain white people in slavery, have been forced to entertain the idea of race from the start, and must find entertaining ways to make race an object of national conversation. Dyson’s career embodies these and other ways of performing Blackness, and in these pages, ranging from 1991 to the present, he entertains race with his pen, voice and body, and occasionally, alongside luminaries like Cornel West, David Blight, Ibram X. Kendi, Master P, MC Lyte, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Alicia Garza, John McWhorter, and Jordan Peterson. Most of this work will be new to readers, a fresh light for many of his long-time fans and an inspiring introduction for newcomers. Entertaining Race offers a compelling vision from the mind and heart of one of America’s most important and enduring voices.
