Coffee-table book, commemorative volume, p.r. piece--The NBA at 50 is an example of lavishly produced 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 of old. Instead, it's a mix of stunning, jump-off-the-page color photos and revealing captions in the form of reflections by NBA players and coaches of the past, combined 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 of the 20th century. 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 was a force to be reckoned with. Even with the limits of still photography, the overwhelming physicality of the game translates wonderfully to the four-color page. There was nothing like the first 50 years of the NBA, and nobody better than their class of the 50 best!
240 pages, Hardcover collectible
Random House
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