The Word of God

In this vivid sports memoir, basketball legend Shammgod—known for mastering the crossover dribble—charts his path from the harsh streets of 1980s Brooklyn to the NBA and beyond. In conversational prose (“I’m so New York, I got robbed in the second grade”), Shammgod recalls growing up with an alcoholic mother and incarcerated father in a Brooklyn neighborhood where gang wars sometimes led to children being abducted while stepping off of the school bus. His hoop skills helped him cope with the stress (“To me, dribbling was freedom”). After netting a basketball scholarship to Providence College, Shammgod was drafted by the Washington Wizards in 1997. He played for only one bumpy season, then managed to keep his career afloat with the Zhejiang Squirrels of the China Basketball Association. After he retired, his alma mater hired him as a player development coach, which led to similar roles with two NBA teams and his mentoring of Lakers superstar Luka Dončić. As Shammgod details his successes and encounters with celebrities from Kobe Bryant to Biggie Smalls, he frankly highlights his mental health struggles (“Real talk: I think I spent most of my life functionally depressed”), imbuing the account with a winning blend of bluster and vulnerability. Fans of DeMar DeRozan’s Above the Noise will appreciate this unvarnished glimpse into the mind of a star athlete. Agent: Byrd Leavell, UTA. (Sept.)