Frazier, an all-star guard with the New York Knicks in the 1970s, was the floor leader of the famously unselfish teams that won NBA championships in 1970 and 1973. Here he offers an evenhanded comparison of professional basketball in his era and today, finding today's game lacking in teamwork and basketball IQ--no surprise to most fans whose interest has spanned the eras. He concedes the modern players' increased size and athleticism but feels those attributes could be put to more efficient--and more entertaining--use with the relatively simple application of some old-school concepts, among them, the idea of the point guard as orchestrator rather than scorer. Frazier also discusses the effect of big money on the players, noting that those who respond positively to multimillion-dollar deals (Michael Jordan and LeBron James, for example) are the exception rather than the rule. Peppering his account with anecdotes from his playing days and observations of the current state of NBA affairs (he is now a Knicks broadcaster), Frazier displays the same qualities as an analyst that he demonstrated as a player--consistency and intelligence.
Wes LukowskyCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Review
"If ever there was a Baryshnikov of basketball, it was Walt Clyde Frazier." --
Senator Bill Bradley