Mad Game : The NBA Education of Kobe Bryant

LA Daily News
"Subtitled The NBA Education of Kobe Bryant, the 313-page biography is proof that there is no such thing as a charmed life...Lazenby's book makes startlingly clear Bryant, 21, also is like you and me, tiptoeing around hostile co-workers and getting blamed for every little thing that goes wrong on the job and knowing at least one of the smiling faces he sees every day is trashing him behind his back."


Washington Times
"...the writing is sharp, and it's clear Lazenby knows his stuff. "Mad Game" creates an image of a young player whose determination leaves him aloof, whose lack of a college experience deprives him of some necessary team skills and whose playground style frustrates his teammates."


Book Description
When Kobe Bryant joined the glitzy Los Angeles Lakers in 1996 right out of high school, he faced a wave of media hype that declared him the next Michael Jordan. Now a veteran of five NBA seasons at the age of 23, Bryant has earned a place among pro basketball's elite. Mad Game documents his hard lessons on the road to stardom, his rapid rise through the NBA, and his conflicts with--and, at times, alienation from--his teammates, including his on-and-off-again relationship with Shaquille O'Neal. This is a story of triumph, of an unusually gifted young athlete trying to remain true to himself and his game.


From the Back Cover
Welcome to the world of Kobe Bryant, where expectations are huge but self-confidence is even greater. Already a veteran of three NBA seasons at age 21, he lives on the edge of his testosterone-laced dreams. Totally obsessed, totally committed, totally talented; putting every part of himself into becoming the greatest and most dominant--what he and other young NBA players call The Man. In Mad Game, Roland Lazenby goes behind the scenes to explore Bryant's world, where the young star couples his iron will with enormous self-assurance to battle elements within the NBA that would force him to reshape his dreams. Brant left his Pennsylvania high school in 1996 as a 17-year old phenom to join the glitzy Los Angeles Lakers. Within months he faced a wave of media hype declaring him the next Michael Jordan. Mad Game is the story of how these circumstances propelled his rapid rise through the NBA, only to result in conflict with--and, ultimately, alienation from--his veteran teammates. A cautionary tale emerges from Bryant's hard lessons along the road to NBA stardom. Yet it's also a story of triumph, of a uniquely gifted young athlete trying to remain true to himself and the game.


Buy from Amazon     Compare Prices

A cautionary tale emerges from the hard lessons Bryant learned along the road to NBA stardom. Yet this is also a story of triumph, of a uniquely gifted young athlete with an uncanny, instinctive feel for the game who matures as a player while trying to remain true to himself. In this updated paperback edition, Lazenby adds new material on the continued rise of Bryant through the 2000-2001 season, including his on- and off-court clashes with Shaquille O'Neal and how their conflicts nearly cost their team the NBA championship.


Buy from Barnes & Noble     Compare Prices