It's a Numbers Game! Basketball - by James Buckley (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Math information for kids while learning about basketball"--

Book Synopsis

Why do NBA players only have 24 seconds to score a basket? What's the geometry behind making the perfect shot? Become a basketball pro and learn all about the numbers and math behind this popular sport.

Numbers are everywhere in basketball--from the dimensions of the court to the points you can score to the digits on each player's jersey. In this awesome new book, you'll learn how these numbers make basketball the game we know and love today, and also get a few tips along the way on how to improve your game. As Kobe Bryant wrote in his Foreword for the book, "Sucess is in the detail--and the detail is in the math." Read about amazing statistics and learn how to track the stats of your favorite basketball stars. Discover how to improve your bounce pass and chest pass with geometry and physics. Colorful graphics explain the math behind the sport, and cool photos make you feel like you're right on the court. Filled with sports trivia and fun activities at the end of every chapter, this book is sure to be a slam dunk with kids who can't get enough of the game and want to learn more.

Review Quotes

Ever wanted to know the physics behind a layup? What positions are on the court and what they do? How many pebbles are on a basketball? Readers will learn all this and more in NatGeo's fun, analytical overview of basketball. The photos are breathtaking, the breakdown of stats and facts are well researched, and information is easily relayed. Interactive activities are also featured, including one where an outline of NBA player Kawhi Leonard's hand size is shown to demonstrate how big it would be in comparison to the reader's hand. Buckley keeps the information and stats incredibly balanced between the NBA and WNBA, and college's NCAAM and NCAAW. The only drawback to this much information is that pages can be a bit busy at times, but that will hardly matter to fans. NBA legend Kobe Bryant penned a foreword urging readers to "make math as fun as the game itself." The game may be a little dimmer without Bryant, but readers can take his message to heart with this book. The substantial back matter includes a glossary and an explanation of abbreviations (many stats are given in their abbreviated form, such as PPG or points per game), an index, photo credits, and a reference for math teachers to discuss different topics throughout the book (division, physics, etc.).

VERDICT A slam dunk purchase. Basketball fans will devour this book with the credentials of NatGeo and ESPN to back it up.

--School Library Journal starred review

About the Author

JAMES BUCKLEY is the author of more than 100 books for young readers on basketball, baseball, football, soccer, and more. A former editor at Sports Illustrated and NFL Publishing, he is also the author of the top-selling annual Scholastic Year in Sports. In the nonsports world, he has written a dozen titles in the New York Times best-selling Who Was...? biography series. He lives in Santa Barbara, where he runs the Shoreline Publishing Group, a leading producer of nonfiction for kids.