Drive: How Vince Carter Conquered the NBA (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

Review

“A well-written and absorbing book that even a non-fan of basketball will enjoy.” -- Kitchener-Waterloo Record


From the Paperback edition.

Product Description

The first in-depth book on Vince Carter, Drive captures the magic of the young superstar and charts the latest transformation of the NBA. Without a doubt, Vince Carter is the best thing to come along since Michael Jordan took basketball to a new level in the 1990s. Here in Canada, Vince Carter is The Franchise.

Veteran sports writer Chris Young tracks Vince Carter over the entire 2000–2001 NBA season. By charting the trajectory of Carter’s career from his origins in a Florida high school league, he reveals how one star can transform not only a team, but the entire NBA.

The Raptors were in their fourth season and at the bottom of the league when Carter joined as a rookie — now, three years later, he’s thrilling fans with his trademark levitations, breath-taking body control, and the power of his slam-dunks. His unique skills have turned him into one of pro sports’ rarest of performers: the charismatic superstar.

After the bitter labour dispute that delayed the 1998–1999 season and Michael Jordan’s retirement in February 1999, the NBA fell into a slump — TV ratings began to slide and attendance flatlined. It was at this point in NBA history that Vince Carter first attracted notice. His transcendent talent soon led media commentators to name Carter the most exciting young superstar in the NBA. Carter led the U.S. team in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, and has been the leading vote-getter for the last two NBA All Star Games — a clear reflection of his intense popularity with the fans.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday Canada (September 25, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385259980
• ISBN-13: 978-0385259989
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,973,491 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars More about the Raptors than about vince..., October 1, 2001

By	Matthew King (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

With his first published book, Toronto Star sports columnist Chris Young has compiled an impressive collection of stories and events from the last 3 years of Toronto Raptors basketball. Regular readers of his newspaper column will be pleased to find out that the same sharp wit and sense of humour displayed in his sports column are apparent throughout this book as well.

The main problem I have with DRIVE is that it turns out to be more of a book on the Raptors organization as a whole than on Carter himself. Young devotes entire chapters to the likes of Tracy Mcgrady, Butch Carter, Isiah Thomas, Glen Grunwald, etc that have little or no connection to Vince Carter himself. Very little is devoted to Carter's childhood growing up in Florida or about his college career, or other historical moments about his life you would expect to find in a supposed biography.

So if you want to read about the Raptors, this is a good book. If you are hoping to get insight into Vince Carter's life beyond what you've read or seen in the media in the last three years, you'll be truly dissapointed.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Drive: How vince Carter Conquered The NBA, November 20, 2001

By	Jon Dack (Ackley, IA USA) - See all my reviews

If you read this book and it didn't have a title you would think it would be entitled "The Toronto Rapter's Organization." If you are looking for a biography on Vince Carter, sorry this is not the book to get. But if you want to see the aspect of business in the NBA, then this is the book for you. It's a great book about the business end of the NBA.

"Drive" shows an in-depth look at the business side of the NBA, and some of the controversies that happen in the NBA, and its teams. This book is suppose to be about hot Vince Carter has done so far in his three years in the NBA, and hit trials and tribulations with the Toronto Rapters, but is more about the Rapters organization, and players and coaches who have been with the team.

The book is written by Chris Young, who is a writer for the Toronto Star who followed Vince around for the 2000-2001 NBA season to complete the book.

The financial well being and the interest of fans is declining, because the business part is taking over the love of the game. When Vince Carter joined the NBA, he came at absolutely the right time. Michael Jordan had just retired, and ratings were down. There wasn't anybody that could capture the love of the game, and the charisma until Vince entered. The NBA needed something that stood out and Vinsanity took the NBA by storm. His growing fan population has brought back tv viewers, tv ratings, and sales of NBA merchandise.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars interesting, June 16, 2002

By	S (Canada!!) - See all my reviews

This book is a good book, but don't buy it if your just a fan of Vince Carter. It's more about the franchise of the Raptors and the business of sports and the NBA. Chapter 5 is the best chapter in any book I've ever read, if you interested in the business side of sports and advertising. So to a sports fan this is a very interesting book, but to someone thats only in it to find out about Vince Carter, it's not a good choice.