Rebound

March 1, 2021
A longtime NBA player known for his tenacity faces down his toughest challenge yet: early-onset Parkinson's disease. With the assistance of veteran NBA writer Bucher (co-author of Yao Ming's memoir), Grant chronicles his battle with Parkinson's disease, with which he was diagnosed just after he retired in 2006 at age 36. The author writes candidly about his depression, the changes in his body, and the sense that all was lost as well as the advocacy that changed his life. But this is also a compelling glimpse of a dedicated athlete trying to make the NBA and of a pro career based on hard work and savvy rather than blinding skill. Growing up in Georgetown, Ohio, just outside Cincinnati, Grant honed his work ethic on a farm. After a growth spurt, he developed the confidence and commitment to dominate his senior year in high school. After four impressive years at Xavier, he made it to the league, grew out his dreadlocks--among his nicknames was "Rasta Monsta"--and embarked on a 12-year career. Two elements make this book stand out from other sports memoirs: Grant's humility and his attention to detail in chronicling the mental and physical grind of an NBA career. The author had a weakness for women, a proclivity that is not uncommon among NBA players; he fathered children with four different women, including his ex-wife. He doesn't brag or look for sympathy, however. He made mistakes, and he lays them out. He also explains what it was like as an undersized big man battling giant Hall of Famers Karl Malone and Shaquille O'Neal, and he describes the grueling practice sessions overseen by Miami Heat coach Pat Reilly. This is a basketball book that successfully carries a serious subtext. It does well by the sport and makes room for the gravity of Grant's personal struggles. Smart about basketball, wise to life off the court.

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