Basketball Slave

In this book, Mark Johnson asks readers to consider, "if most of the best black basketball players in the early 50's from all around the country could not fully participate in the NBA, where do you think they played?"

This book is the heart wrenching account of a young boy who became a man through the lessons of basketball. He grew up watching his family work in the cotton fields of Louisiana and began playing basketball barefoot in the streets of North Hollywood, California. As a high school basketball phenom, his education was undervalued. He was sent to a major university without graduating high school. While enrolled, Andy's college transcripts were manipulated to meet NCAA guidelines, and he was given a course load that would never lead to a degree. Finally, he was sold on the professional basketball auction block three times, with no ability to negotiate his pay or where he could play. It shows that players such as Lebron, Kobe, Jordan, and Magic came along at the right time. Andy "The Enforcer" was that dominant player in the 1950's (Globetrotters/Warriors/Chicago and Eastern league). Unfortunately, he came along at a time when black basketball players were barely accepted and not allowed to play freely in the NBA. Overcoming many obstacles, Johnson turned every devastating event into another opportunity by staying positive in the game of life.