Basket

2001 · 007825 — New York:: P.A.L. Publishing Co. 2001. A beautiful pristine copy -- clean square and tight. Sharp corners. The Dust Jacket is bright and shiny. No rubbing. No chips. No tears. No creases. No bookplate. No remainder mark. Pages are fresh crisp and unmarked. Recounts van Breda Kolff's basketball playing career with the New York Knicks and his coaching career in high school college Lafayette Hofstra Princeton and professional basketball Los Angeles Lakers Detroit Pistons and New Orleans Jazz. Includes details of his relationships with Wilt Chamberlain Elgin Baylor Jerry West etc. Illustrated with numerous b/w photographs. Bound in the original red leatherette lettered in shiny gold on the spine and front cover. From the Dust Jacket: "The arrival of 'Wilt the Stilt' Chamberlain in Los Angeles created one large 7 foot headache for Coach Butch van Breda Kolff. Whereas Elgin Baylor and Jerry West both legendary superstars responded positively to Butch's 'hands on' coaching policies Wilt resisted the advice and instructions of his new coach. Although the Lakers advanced to the finals of the NBA for the 1968-1969 season Butch recognized the conflict with Wilt and dealt with it as best he could. But in the NBA play-off game with the series tied at 3-3 and the Lakers playing poorly Wilt took himself from the game claiming an injured leg. Butch replaced Stilt with Mel Counts and the Lakers closed the deficit to one point. When Wilt wanted to reenter the game VBK denied him entry and told him to 'sit down.' The Lakers subsequently lost 108-106 Butch was the scapegoat and his career as Coach of the Lakers was over. Subsequently he took on the Detroit Pistons and the New Orleans Jazz as potential turn-around situations. He instantly improved the records of both franchises but confrontations with club-owners who seemed forever critical of his life-style eventually led him away from the NBA. He returned briefly to coached at the College level where he led the University of New Orleans to a Sun Belt conference title. Then he coached the New Orleans Pride a woman's professional team.". INSCRIBED / SIGNED by the AUTHOR. First Edition. Hard Cover. As New condition/As New dust jacket. 8vo. xiv 256pp. P.A.L. Publishing Co. Hardcover