Basketball for Dummies

One of my favorite things to do is play basketball. Unfortunately, I am not the most skilled athlete as many of you know. Generally speaking, my basketball skills are quite similar to this particular example:








Now, I have been playing the game for a long time, but one thing that has always held me back is my lack of understanding of the fundamentals. Desperate for some sort of solution to my problem, I decided to resort to different tactics. Sitting at home and practicing wasn't going to get me where I needed to be. I needed to adopt more drastic measures. So I did something that comes natural to me, I bought a book.





Now there are lots of books at your local bookstore about sports. I've read a few of them, and maybe at some point I will review them as well. But I needed something more than just the standard old Dennis Rodman autobiography to help my long-suffering game. I needed Basketball for Dummies. Like I said folks, desperate times call for desperate measures.



This book was a revelation to me. The author, Richard Phelps, is more commonly known as Digger Phelps. Digger's biography can be found here.

Now Phelps breaks down the game into very manageable pieces. He discusses the equipment needed to play basketball. He breaks down each position on the team and explains the skillset and body type needed to play the position. Throughout the book, Phelps intersperses the text with stories from his long basketball career. For a speed reader, this book went way too easily. After I finished it, I didn't just put it up on my library shelf. I made sure I put it into a visible space where I would consistently go back to it as a reference guide. Phelps is successful on many fronts. For those new to the game, he gives a great introduction that is not just helpful but also entertaining. For individuals like myself, the book was a real confidence booster. I learned a lot about the game within the game, so to speak.

For about $15 on amazon, this book can be yours. I would definitely recommend it for anyone that has children who are just started to learning how to play the game, or perhaps an adult that wants to get back into the game after a long layoff. Perhaps after reading Basketball for Dummies, you will be willing to try and attempt to soar to great heights, like this famous athlete.