Customer Reviews

Big Game, Small World: A Basketball Adventure

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The book is a basketball travelogue that takes the reader around the world to illustrate the global nature and universal appeal of the game of basketball. As a fan of Ivy League basketball two chapters in particular stood out to me: "Philadelphia: Quaker Meeting House" and "Princeton, New Jersey: Through the Back Door"
As you might have guessed, the "Quaker meeting house" in question is the Palestra. The first half of the chapter recounts the past glories of the building while the latter half brings to life the famous Penn-Princeton game that took place on February 9, 1999.

The Princeton chapter deals with the legendary "Princeton offense." It uses the context of lunchtime pickup games at Princeton's Jadwin Gym to make its points and gives a wonderful look inside the family atmosphere that permeates Princeton basketball like few other college basketball programs.

I would add "Big Game, Small World" to a list of recommended basketball reading that includes John Feinstein's superb "The Last Amateurs."

This is an essential read for anyone interested in basketball history and all those, such as myself, who are excited by the increasingly international dimensions of the game. Wolff starts his journey in Princeton, the home of pure, fundamentals-driven b-ball, and visits many disparate corners of the globe, examining the local idiosyncrasies of the game through colorful anecdotes, a bit of philosophizing, and a great sense of humor. One of the things that caught my interest was hearing the names of former American hoopsters now playing overseas. Ever wonder what happened to Richard Dumas, the former Phoenix Sun who looked like a budding superstar in the 1993 NBA finals against the Chicago Bulls? You'll find out in this book. Another fascinating thing that caught my attention is the way in which hoops is so affected by politics in many countries. Wolff looks at how hoopsters had to literally dodge landmines to make it to their games in the former Yugoslavia and in present day Angola. His chapter on Africa is outstanding; it left me convinced that Africa is the real untapped reservoir of future NBA superstars. Another place in which b-ball and politics are inextricably entwined is China, where the state is finally loosening its hold over sports. In Bhutan, the monarch is literally the hoopster in chief. Wolff relates the interesting story of how hoops came to this tiny, Himalayan kingdom. These are just a few of the great stories contained within this book. Besides numerous international sojourns, Wolff also writes on the game closer to home, with some great chapters set in Philly, Peoria, Kansas City, and Washington D.C. I can't say much more other than to give this book my highest recommendations!

This may be the most far-reaching basketball book I have ever read. Wolff chronicles the game's impact and value in such disparate locations such as a modernizing China, the backwaters of Eastern Europe, and even within Bill Bradley's aborted 2000 presidential campaign!
Since the author visits such a long list of out-of-the-way places, you would expect his prose or reporting to suffer as the book progresses. Rather, Wolff keeps the story light and full of offbeat humor, while using his sharp skills to sniff out a story. For example, the author learns much about the Phillippines' national league and even meets the country's greatest player. Yet he is not satisfied with basketball's role in the country until he wanders the streets and unearths the tale of a local's fight to build a community court.
The story is broken down into epsiodes, as Wolff devotes each chapter to one of his stops. This makes it easy, should a particular subject or country interest you, to read the book slightly out of order. Yet the author does tie together many of his threads, and makes Big Game, Small World an informative look at the ways the game of basketball is shaping (and being shaped by) the world, as well as doubling as a minor commentary on many countries' natures and traditions.

'Big Game, Small World' is a modern bible of basketball. The NBA has never been more popular, and just one look at any team's roster will tell you how global the game has become. At the World Championships this summer, more than thirty players on international teams will have NBA experience on their resumes.

'Big Game, Small World' documents the intercontinental journey of Alex Wolff, in pursuit of his self-stated goal: rediscovering the game of basketball. From Ireland to Angola, Wolff provides us with unique and often amusing anecdotes showcasing how universal basketball has become.

Alex Wolff only further establishes his already unquestioned position as the premier sportswriter in America. His prose is always clear and concise, and he never fails to get the story everyone can appreciate. His mastery of the craft is as evident in this book as anywhere.

For all fans of modern basketball, young and old alike, 'Big Game, Small World' is the one piece of basketball literature you must own.