*Disclaimer - I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway.

First and foremost I want to thank Mr. Scallen for being a phenomenal coach, both in soccer and basketball for a good chunk of my childhood. While I always knew that you were a good coach, I never realized how great of a coach you were. Teaching the fundamentals, making sure that players remained friends for years afterward, and instilling confidence among a large group of adolescent boys couldn't have been easy, but you did it.

George Dorhmann, who was able to follow a group of basketball stars for 8 years watching their development from 4th graders through high school, paints an eye-opening account of the grassroots basketball organizations that unfortunately make too many decisions in the lives of young boys. While I was aware of the devious nature of shoe companies and the sponsoring of athletes/teams/schools, I was unaware of how deeply rooted they are in the game of basketball. Greedy coaches and executives routinely use deceitful tactics to steer kids one way or another, no matter what is at stake.

It was interesting that Dorhmann was granted such close personal contact with the people he writes about, as well as their families; which offers up a unique perspective on the situation. I was really taken by the fact that Dorhmann tried to stay neutral as much as possible, as a documentary filmaker would, but then couldn't resist taking up issues that he felt were immoral.

A definite must read for basketball fans, as well as those who work with youth.