Basketball (and Other Things): A Collection of Questions Asked, Answered, Illustrated

The revision of McLovin's fake ID to McMamba is worth the price of purchase alone. Anyone who tries to give themselves a nickname deserves to be made fun of for eternity. Though I googled the address, and it just goes to the Staples Center. I was hoping for something with more of a bite. Like that address of the Colorado hotel. Also, the print is uncommonly small. I'm guessing because there was a page limit, and Mr. Serrano was trying to cram in as many words as possible. And he has a lot of good words. Also, I didn't like the colored backgrounds on a bunch of pages. They were hard to read. Mr. Torres' artwork is astonishingly good. Though I wish there were footnotes to ID some of the people featured. I probably recognized 80%, and that 20% drove me a bit mad.I love basketball, and this book offers a wildly creative series of takes on a bunch of questions I've thought about, and a bunch more I'd never even considered. It's funny, and smart, and painstakingly detailed, and most importantly, thought provoking.The inclusion of a bunch of advanced stats (VORP, PER, etc) was welcome, and demonstrates Mr. Serrano's in-depth grasp of the NBA. Honestly, came as a bit of a surprise, because his Twitter feed, @sheaserrano, tends to focus on the more emotional side of fandom.Wish there were some WNBA content in this book, especially as the author has become a huge WNBA and WNCAA fan/advocate. Like, there could have been easy contenders in the "Most Perfect Duo" and "Most Important Championship" chapters.I think my favorite chapter(s) are the Moment before "The Moment." Especially Derek Fisher's .4 second prayer that trounced what should have been Tim Duncan's career highlight shot. I remember watching that game on TV, when Mr. Duncan hit that ridiculous jumper from the top of the key, and thinking 1: Spurs are winning this series, and the title and 2: This is the last shot on every highlight reel for Mr. Duncan's career. Unreal shot at the biggest moment. And then Derek Fisher, who couldn't tie Mr. Duncan's shoes, ruined the whole thing. Also, McMamba.Which hip hop artist would be the best pick to cover/remix "If I Had a Hammer" as the theme song for the Death Hammer series?(Spoiler) As a Seattle native and once-upon-a-time Sonics fan, I appreciate the selection of Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp as the Best Duo...but I don't agree. Jordan and Pippen were just so dominant, and could win games in so many different ways. Though aesthetically I think my choice would've been Magic and James Worthy. Spent my first 12 years in LA watching Showtime, and James running the wing while Magic led the fast break was a thing of beauty, and unstoppable. And they were almost as dominant in the half court, with James beating everyone for position and Magic always finding the perfect entry pass. Magic/Kareem were great, and I believe Kareem's skyhook is the single greatest shot in NBA history, but it didn't have the same appeal. I could throw entry passes to Kareem posting up 15 feet from the basket and hitting 56%.This book is extremely clever, and surprisingly dense, and a very fun read. Highly recommended to anyone who even peripherally cares about the NBA.Also, Kobe Bryant is a dork.

Would buy again. Great for basketball fan.

Shea Serrano follows up his excellent RAP YEAR BOOK with this passionate, absurd, and absurdly funny look at the culture of basketball. In 33 chapters, he manages to run the gamut of backyard basketball talk by addressing questions as important as “Which Player’s Legacy Is Most Changed By Winning a Championship?” to lesser—although probably not—ones like “Which Person Would You Most Like to Dunk On?” Along the way, Serrano shares stories about growing up, playing pick-up games, and bonding with family and friends. By the end of the book, it has become evident basketball isn’t just a game, but a way of life.This book would not be the gift it is without the charming, beautiful illustrations from Arturo Torres. His style meshes perfectly with Serrano’s prose, giving them a Shaq/Kobe dynamic which keeps the book both exciting and winning. BAOT is easily one of the best books I’ve read this year, so much so that I will forgive Serrano for his disdain towards the Lakers, especially the underrated Rick Fox, who is one of my all-time favorite Lakers.

I have never written a customer review of anything before, but wanted to leave my mark here because I would literally give my life for Shea Serrano.This book is a masterpiece. All the questions I ever wanted answered about basketball, plus a few I didn't know I wanted answered about basketball, plus one chapter that's basically just a script for a James Harden action movie. It's humorous while low-key informative, creative, and well-illustrated to boot. I read probably 20+ books last year and this one is easily the most entertaining, and is the #1 title I would recommend for any basketball fan, regardless of their reading interests / habits.Also since reading it, I grew six inches taller, got promoted three times at work, found $50,000 on the ground, and seduced a Victoria's Secret model. Causation or correlation? I report, you decide.

I found this author on twitter and always found him to be hilarious. I bought this book for my boyfriend and he loves it! It’s funny, random, and educational(but not in a boring text book kind of way.) He could not put it down! The next book I will get for him will be the Hip-hop version from the same author. A must have if you are a basketball fan!

This book is straight up goofy but man is it enjoyable. If you are a big hoops fan, you will not be disappointed. Shea is a captivating writer/personality due to unrelenting hyperbole. His stories are hilarious and his comparisons range from spot on to absurd. He put a lot of work into this book and it shows. Everything on the page is meant to be enjoyed, from the great illustrations to even his footnotes. The guy knows how to make an entertaining read.Definitely check out this book. I would've given it 5 stars but to be honest, the book gets long in the tooth. I feel like it could get cut down a couple chapters. There's just A LOT of information here.

Do you like basketball? Or maybe you like other things? Either way, this book has you covered. You should buy it.

This book was maybe the most important book ever written. Funny, witty, lots of fun facts.4 The one thing I didn't like was the subterranean Kobe shade, which for a minute made me want to hate it, but the greatness of the rest of it overshadowed the hatred of Kobe Bean Bryant, who was a better player than any Spur ever.4Shea's writing style is easy and fun to read. I stayed up late reading this thing night after night. It's as much a work of art as it is a book.The illustrations were also on-point.4 Top-notch.4 Fantastic. Amazing.4 Arturo is incredible.4.4Loved the book.4 I'd give it 5.4 stars if that were an option.

Arrive in good condition and the book is well done.

I love how it looks. I haven't read it, but I had the Hip Hop version, which I really enjoyed.I don't think this will disappoint me

This is a great read for basketball fans. Witty, quick and fun read. Really enjoyed it and might even check out his other works surrounding hiphop and movies

Shea Serrano did it again! I already had "the rap yearbook" and I couldn't be more satisfied by the Serrano-Torres collaboration over the game we all love: basketball! Reccommended

What's not to like?