Rucker Basketball Wars: The Inside Story of

Rucker Basketball Wars is the book basketball fans of all ages, ethnic backgrounds, and economic backgrounds have been waiting for. This is not your usual sports folderol book. It is a dialogue with the reader that allows him to make up his own mind about what he thinks, according to the reader’s own personal code of conduct. After reading this book the reader may realize that Phillip Rucker writes like people talk around the dinner table at home or around the water cooler at work. He gives you straight talk ignoring political correctness. Street basketball’s influence on basketball evolution and American culture has never been so clear. Unlike previous attempts at street ball books or movies, this is the information all the hype is based upon, in the real evolution of modern basketball since Dr. Naismith invented the game. Whether you like this book or not is not the issue. It is required reading for any self respecting, serious basketball fan. Sports writers and movie companies have been fighting for years to tell this story of the Rucker Basketball Tournament. Finally someone from the inside, the son of Holcombe Rucker, decided to open Pandora’s box; and the truth will change basketball history forever. You find out why there have been imitation Rucker books and movies, but the real deal has never been presented to the sports world. This book is the first and last word on street basketball’s true beginnings. Some of the topics and targets Phil takes on along the way include: • The War in Iraq: Portions of this book were written while the war in Iraq was in full swing. The Rucker Basketball Wars have some interesting parallels. • Rucker Park: Why the cathedral of street basketball is Rucker Park and why NBA pro basketball players have continued to defy politically correct mandates from the NBA for fifty plus years to make the pilgrimage to Rucker Park. • Black Community Youth Politics: Phil takes a look at the Rucker Family and Rucker Clan politics dealing with youth. He also examines some of the motivations of the black leadership establishment regarding youth politics. • Rucker Glamour: Unlike some other Rucker media events you get the glamour of Rucker Park the way it really is and was. It’s vibrancy makes all street ball media events pale beside the truth of Rucker Basketball glamour. It shows the luster of Rucker Street Basketball rubbing off on American advertising, the NBA, and the Hip Hop community. • Black/White Family Relationships: Phil takes a look at what’s right and wrong with families on both sides of the race scale sparing neither side. Along the way he takes on sacred cows, like certain disruptive media types and the black leadership decision-making process. Of course Phil is also very solution oriented. He gives and he takes but always says what he thinks clearly. The bottom line is you are a serious basketball fan and you want to find out the basketball environment the NBA players really grew up in and not some hyped, stereotyped, inner city basketball “B” movie or book; then “Rucker Basketball Wars” is the book you’ve been waiting for. The only street basketball book you will ever have to read again. It’s a page-turner you may try to read in one sitting. It’s that good!