Author:  Jayson Williams, Steve Friedman
Publisher:  Doubleday & Company, Incorporated
Date Published:  March 2000
Format:  Trade Cloth

Review - Thumper, AALBC.com
Loose Balls: Easy Money, Hard Fouls, Cheap Laughs & True Love in the NBA by Jayson Williams with Steve Friedman.

I don't follow the NBA. I must confess, I had no idea of the existence of Jayson Williams before I read Loose Balls. While I'm being honest, I have to admit that besides April being Non-Fiction month, I read Loose Balls in the hopes of getting a couple of plays to use in my Dreamcast NBA 2K game. What I didn't expect was thoroughly enjoying Loose Balls. I was pleasantly surprised that I had a such good time with Loose Balls!

Loose Balls is a book that answers just about every question that you could possibly ask concerning athletes in the NBA. Williams also covers stories of his youth living in South Carolina and New York, his love for his family, and his college years. He also discusses his past teammates, fellow teammates, coaches and players on other NBA teams. It's all here. Let me tell you right off the bat, Loose Balls is not The Fire Next Time, or Up From Slavery. It doesn't try to be some great work of literature. Loose Balls is written as if Williams is having a laid-back, relaxed conversation with you while you are both sitting in the backyard under a shade tree sipping cool drinks. He has a wonderful sense of humor. There are a couple of moments that stands out more than others: the spelling of Caucasian with a k instead of a c; Armien Guilliam not having the lights on in house; his brother Stacy jumping out of the school window running away from their father, on and on. *LOL* I tell you all, I had a ball with this book! The book isn't all laughs. There's also Williams's views on rookies coming into the NBA, the future of the NBA, his hopes and dreams of life after the NBA, et al.

Loose Balls is a treat! Loose Balls accomplished something that my friends and cousins failed to do...peek my interest in the NBA. I have to get a look at some of the players that Williams wrote about in the book. *smile* I highly recommend Loose Balls. I love the fact that I didn't have to follow the NBA in order to enjoy this book. I will admit it might help, but it's not necessary in order to enjoy Loose Balls.

What Loose Balls is not going to do is help you out on NBA 2K though. *frown* Here I am thinking I'll have the upper hand on my cousins, put a couple of good plays in my memory card, learn how to throw an elbow or two. You know, help a Thumper out on his game. Nope. No such luck. But, don't let lack of NBA 2K assistance prevent you from getting, reading and enjoying Loose Balls. *smile*

Can you help me out sir?