"Big Game James" was best known for his one-handed fast-break jams. He was a member of three NBA championship teams with the Los Angeles Lakers (in 1985, 1987, and 1988).
The New Yorker — Shaq had the chills the night before he played in the championship-clinching game of the 2000 Finals. He couldn't sleep, so he went indy cart racing with his chef and best friend. He had a habit of eating sandwiches late at night, which contributed to his weight gain.
SLAM Magazine — I learned about Nick Van Exel's relationship with Avery Johnson and how he began going to church with him. I learned Van Exel considered the game ancillary, in light of his mother's assault, which left her in the hospital.
ESPN.com — One morning Ruben Patterson woke up and decided he was going to get sober. He has dealt with a personal battle with alcohol for years. He thought about his kids. He wanted to leave a positive legacy for them.
Sports Illustrated — I read about Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'neal's mercurial relationship, and how one night in Boston, before a game against the Celtics, the two seemed the best of friends, joking with each other, slap-boxing each other. A moment captured and articulated by veteran NBA writer Jack McCallum.
Los Angeles Magazine (also published in Best American Sports Writing 2003) — I learned Phil Jackson and Scottie Pippen made an immediate connection when Jackson became head coach of the Chicago Bulls in 1989. They were both introverts. Both cerebral. Both saw the game from a similar perspective.
