Customer Reviews

Giants: The 25 Greatest Centers of All Time

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

My husband really wanted this book for christmas based on some TV show interview he watched but after reading the review about the binding, I went to a local bookstore to check it out for myself. All FOUR copies had binding problems. When I opened the book, the pages started to break off so the store is returning them all.

I am quite disappointed because it looks like a really good book content wise. Hope they get a new printing soon.

"Giants" Big Men Who Shook The NBA, by Mark Heisler,is a must own book, for any basketball fan who enjoyed the era of the dominent center. The top 25 centers of all-time are profiled in detail, with great photo's,statistics, and commentary by some of the greats of the game. I will tell you that Wilt Chamberlain is ranked #1 of all-time, and Artis Gilmore is in at #25. In between, all the greats are like Russell, Jabbar, Oneal, Malone, Walton, Mikan, Reed,Thurmond and Duncan are just some of the 25 centers who are profiled. Special insight from Jerry West, Willis Reed, and analysis from Pete Newell make this book even more appealing. Willis Reed states, "I was very proud of my first game against Chamberlain, I scored 32 points, and I held him to 56 points?" Imagine that! He held Wilt to 56 points? It is insights like that from Reed, that makes this book so special. This coffee table book is all that it is cracked up to be, and is one of the finest books ever published on the sport. I highly recommend this book to any fan, both young and old, so you can spend hours with friends arguing, who was the greatest center of all-time.

BEWARE!! I bought this book at Borders, then got in a line for Willis Reed to sign it. While waiting, I turned the pages back & forth a few times - it's a photo book primarily - and the pages began to fall out. I exchanged it for another, and those pages began to fall out. I paged through five more books, and their pages began to fall out, so I got my money back & didn't buy it. The store management said they were aware of the problem. The binding is so horrible that if you use it as it's intended - to look through over & over again - the pages will fall out (at least in all the books shipped to that Borders). It would have been especially horrible to give as a gift - not worth the money! A book is supposed to stay as a book.

Nice topic for a basketball book, especially since the true pivot player is as rare as a dinosaur in today's game. Just a bunch of 3 pt shooting 7 footers running around (except for Dwight Howard & Yao Ming). But I definately disagree with placing Kareem only third. He was the greatest force on offense and defense the game has ever known. No disrespect to the late Wilt the stilt. The fact that he lead the league in assists one year is a bit miss leading, that particular year Wilt abstained from shooting very much. What impresses me more about Wilt is the 27 per game rebound avgs in 2 separate seasons and the fact he never fouled out of a game which was strangely omitted from his many accomplishments, listed in the book. However he shot only 51% from the line, a major flaw. To my surprise Russell only shot 56% lifetime, this is not good, if teams would play hack a Wilt or hack a Russell they would be in trouble, on the other hand Kareem shot 71% and even higher in the clutch. Many games between two evenly matched teams may come down to freethrows a very small margin for error. Karrem's my numeral uno with Wilt a close second and Russell third,without a doubt the greatest defensive center for all times.

I don't agree with shack in the 4th slot he can't shoot freethrows either, and know way he's better than the Dream Olajawon, Moses Malone, or the Cheif Robert Parrish in their primes, no disrespect to the diesel but the jury is still out on him,I still remember how the Dream had him for lunch in the 94-95 playoffs, its to early to put him that high up. I think the likes of Ralph Sampson and Bill Lambeer should be left out all together. And I don't believe power forwards like Tim Duncan and Dan Issel should be included, they should have there own category (power forwards).

P.S. the info is very good and the likes of Willis Reed, Jerry West and Pete Newells's commentary enriches the book even more. But the previous reviewer was right the pages just won't stay in the book, I don't think he had to leave 3 reviews to make his one star point. I get the picture loud and clear. I paid only 10 dollars for it from a street vendor, the 29.95 price might be a bit steep, for a book that pages won't stay in.

BEWARE!! I bought this book at Borders, then got in a line for Willis Reed to sign it. While waiting, I turned the pages back & forth a few times - it's a photo book primarily - and the pages began to fall out. I exchanged it for another, and those pages began to fall out. I paged through five more books, and their pages began to fall out, so I got my money back & didn't buy it. The store management said they were aware of the problem. The binding is so horrible that if you use it as it's intended - to look through over & over again - the pages will fall out (at least in all the books shipped to that Borders). It would have been especially horrible to give as a gift - not worth the money! A book is supposed to stay as a book.

BEWARE!! I bought this book at Borders, then got in a line for Willis Reed to sign it. While waiting, I turned the pages back & forth a few times - it's a photo book primarily - and the pages began to fall out. I exchanged it for another, and those pages began to fall out. I paged through five more books, and their pages began to fall out, so I got my money back & didn't buy it. The store management said they were aware of the problem. The binding is so horrible that if you use it as it's intended - to look through over & over again - the pages will fall out (at least in all the books shipped to that Borders). It would have been especially horrible to give as a gift - not worth the money! A book is supposed to stay as a book.