Hoops Republic

Basketball began in December 1891 as a practical indoor game for a Massachusetts gym class. Within decades, it had moved through YMCAs, schools, churches, colleges, settlement houses, armories, playgrounds, and professional arenas, becoming one of the defining sports of the United States.

Hoops Republic: A History of Basketball in the United States tells the full American story of the game in a fact-based, narrative style. It follows James Naismith's first rules, the rise of women's basketball, the growth of college competition, Black basketball before and after integration, the birth of the NBA and WNBA, the power of March Madness, the influence of the ABA, the global impact of the Dream Team, the sneaker and streetball cultures that reshaped the sport, and the modern eras of analytics, labor, media, activism, and international talent.

From peach baskets to billion-dollar media rights, from high school gyms to Olympic gold, from Bill Russell and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, LeBron James, A'ja Wilson, Caitlin Clark, and the stars of the modern game, this book traces how basketball became a republic of schools, cities, leagues, playgrounds, businesses, and communities.

Trademark Disclaimer

All trademarks, team names, league names, logos, product names, and brand names mentioned in this book are the property of their respective owners. References to the NBA, WNBA, NCAA, FIBA, USA Basketball, Nike, Adidas, Converse, Reebok, Under Armour, and other organizations, teams, events, or brands are used for factual, historical, and descriptive purposes only. This book is not authorized, sponsored, endorsed, or affiliated with any trademark owner, league, team, governing body, company, or organization mentioned herein.