In the Land of Giants: My Life in Basketball - Hardcover

With the capable help of sportswriter Levine (Life on the Rim, 1990), the smallest man ever to play in the NBA tells his story with warmth and humor. At 53'' Muggsy Bogues is an unlikely basketball star, but the Charlotte Hornets' pesky point guard is annually among the leaders in assists and steals, and he averages 10 points per game. Raised in the projects of East Baltimore, Bogues describes a tough life that included being shot when he was 5 years old and, at 12, watching his father go to prison for armed robbery. But there was always basketball, even if no one would take him seriously. He led his Dunbar High School team to 59 straight victories and national prominence in 1981 and '82 and was sought after by college coaches who were sharp enough to overlook his height. At Wake Forest, he averaged 14.8 points per game, collected 275 steals, and amassed an Atlantic Coast Conference record of 781 assists. He was drafted in the first round by the Washington Bullets in 1987 and became great friends with 76'' teammate Manute Bol (much to the delight of photographers). When Washington didn't protect him in the 1989 expansion draft, Bogues was thrilled to be selected by the Hornets. His career hit its stride when coach Gene Littles instituted ``an up-tempo offense'' with Bogues at the point. Later, with the additions of $84 million power forward Larry Johnson and, in 1992, center Alonzo Mourning, Bogues sparked the Hornets to a first-ever playoff appearance. Asked how he can play against men as much as a foot-and-a-half taller, he simply notes that ``the ball's on the floor more than it's in the air. And down there is Muggsland.'' A refreshingly good-natured sports biography by a man who's proud of his achievements but not an egomaniac. As he says, he's ``one happy little fella.'' (20 b&w photos, not seen) -- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

YA?Tyrone "Muggsy" Bogues is 5'3" tall and is a professional basketball player for the Charlotte Hornets. His story begins in the Baltimore projects where, against all odds, he excelled at the sport. People who laughed at him for trying to compete with six and seven-foot players stopped after he helped his high school teammates go to the state championships, and he played outstandingly at Wake Forest. He ended up with the expansion team that went to the NBA playoffs within five years, leading his team. In conjunction with sports writer David Levine, Bogues has created a delightful autobiography. He writes with charming candor of his pride in his family, his friendships with such stars as Reggie Williams and Alonzo Mourning, and his extensive community work. He explains with gentle humor the obstacles he had to overcome and his strong determination to succeed in such a competitive sport. Muggsy comes across as a warm, caring human being whom readers would like to know. Fortunately, they can do so through the pages of this book.?Pat Royal, Crossland High School, Camp Springs, MD
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.