Customer Reviews

University of Wisconsin Basketball (WI) (Images of Sports)

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This is a nice pre-Alando Tucker look at the Wisconsin Badger basketball program and details the exploits of true basketball legends, including Christian Steinmetz, Johnny Kotz and Harold "Bud" Foster who was both an All-American Center for the Badgers and coached the Badgers to the 1941 National Championship.

This book features a lot of in depth knowledge about the full range of Badger players and coaches from Walter Meanwell through Dick Bennett and to present day Bo Ryan. Bo Ryan was actually an assistant coach under Badger head coach Bill Cofield who eventually succumed to cancer.

It covers the accomplishments of Ab Nicholas who was a second team All-American in 1951 and he and his wife were major contributors to the building of the Kohl Center, the well appointed facility in which the Badgers now play. Other well known Badgers include Gene Englund who was an All-American at center for the Badgers and also played on the 1941 National Championship team in 1941. More recently it features Michael Finley who has a 10+ year NBA career, and Devin Harris currently starring with the New Jersey Nets. Also a former Badger is Wes Matthews who earned a number of NBA Championship rings with the LA Lakers.

Anderson chose a representative player for the cover, Don Rehfeldt, but why he chose that smallish picture is beyond understanding. There are several nice pictures on the UW website and other places such as the one with Rehfeldt in a low dribble and wearing #23 and executing his famous hookshot. Eddie Doucette the former Bucks announcer when describing Kareem Abdul Jabbar's hook said it was "the best since Don Rehfeldt."

Rehfeldt was a Badger All-American in 1950 and a two time Big Ten leading scoring whose 22.1 scoring average in 1950 would have been good enough the lead the Big Ten (11) LAST YEAR (2007-08, Eric Gordon from Indiana averaged 20.8), and was drafted the highest of any Badger ever; 2nd overall.

All in all a nice missive by Anderson, one which you can pour through over and over again and catch another little Badger tidbit. The archive photos are wonderful and nicely compliment the text. If you are a Badger Basketball fan this is THE book for you.