NBA at 50 [Paperback]

Mark Vancil (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 4, 1997

NBA at 50 is a beautiful photographic and oral history that captures the glory, spirit, and fire of the NBA, the most popular professional sports league in America. More than 100 never-before-published photographs capture players in unseen moments. With hardcover sales of 200,000 copies, NBA at 50 touches fans as a true tribute to the power of the game. Full color.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

No sport markets itself with anywhere near the razzle-dazzle that pro basketball does, and no book has ever caught the high-energy spirit of the league quite like this anniversary volume. The action photography is stirring, but it's the graphically thrilling homage it pays to the 50 players selected as the greatest of the National Basketball Association's first half century that truly raises The NBA at 50 to a level well above the rim. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Coffee-table book, commemorative volume, p.r. piece--none of these terms suggests quality or substance, but occasionally something of lasting value can come in a glitzy package. Take The NBA at 50an example of lavishly produced corporate hype if there ever was one. And yet, this oversize photo album is much more than a print version of one of those "I love this game" television commercials. Instead, editor Vancil's mix of stunning, jump-off-the-page color photos and revealing captions in the form of reflections by NBA players and coaches, past and present, combine to produce a marvelous visual history of professional basketball. David Halberstam offers a perceptive foreword in which he pinpoints pro basketball as the sport that lends itself best to the frenetic modern era, but appropriately, it is the pictures, not Halberstam's rather sedate words, that best make the case. Whether it is Russell and Chamberlain battling under the boards, Michael being Michael in a host of signature shots, or Shaq offering his Incredible Hulk imitation, the NBA begs to be seen. Even with the limits of still photography, the overwhelming physicality of the game translates wonderfully to the four-color page. Expect the book to receive lavish promotion when the NBA, as part of its fiftieth birthday on October 29, announces the 50 greatest players of all time, as selected by a panel of former players, coaches, and journalists. (That list will be included in the finished book but is being embargoed until the formal announcement is made.) Buy the book now to meet the demand but recognize that its appeal will far outlast the hoopla. Bill Ott --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 252 pages
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press; Rev Upd edition (November 4, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0609801643
• ISBN-13: 978-0609801642
• Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 9.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,577,215 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For Basketball Fans, March 31, 2000

By 

Matt Fabian (Navasota, TEXAS United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: NBA at 50 (Paperback)

Any real fan of the NBA and its history should own this book. Wonderful pictures on each page with interesting quotes and stories throughout. Does a good job of showing the evolution of the league. The forward by Halberstam gives a unique and thought provoking view of basketball and its impact on our world.

3.0 out of 5 stars NBA at 50, May 30, 2011

By 

JSmalls - See all my reviews

This review is from: NBA at 50 (Paperback)

This book just seems ancient now, but it captures the first 50 years of the league as well as anything. This is a good coffee table book.

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining and Educating Book On NBA History, February 28, 2011

By 

GM (Jersey!!!) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: NBA at 50 (Paperback)

I bought this book for myself right before the start of this year's NBA season to get in the mood for basketball again which is my favorite sport. This book does a great job in covering the history of all the NBA seasons from 1946-1996, the first 50 seasons, covering the great players from Wilt Chamberlain to Michael Jordan. It's a must have for all fans of basketball.