Simmons is a writer of ephemera. His Page 2 on ESPN is a reliably entertaining time-killer, and his weekly picks keep me abreast of the NFL season. But the thing you most want to see when you visit is an NBA column. Bill Simmons knows basketball, and is the rare observer that sees things even a relatively hardcore fan (me) will miss. When he announced his candicacy for Minnesota Timberwolves GM, all his readers went, “Hahaha… hmm…” Frankly, it didn’t seem that ridiculous. Simmons, besides being a trade machine guru, seems to have a good handle on what a team needs to succeed.
With that in mind, I was excited by the recent release of his definitively named tome, The Book of Basketball. (A deep discount at Amazon didn’t hurt.) But after reading it, the title seems a rather ridiculous claim to authority. My suggestion: A Book of Basketball. Like Simmons’ web articles, it will keep your attention, but sometimes only barely. This is dispensable stuff, which is fine when you’re writing ephemera, but not when you’re writing a big book like this. Keep reading →






