Last week I wrote a blog called “Why Bill Simmons Matters.” I hate to rehash some of the same territory, but I’m halfway through his mammoth 700 page book about everything NBA, and it’s by far the quickest read I’ve ever read. I cannot recommend this book highly enough, and I’m not even done with it. If you are a fan of the NBA, basketball, sports, or just hilarious NBA anecdotes involving phrases like “Who wants to sex Mutumbo,” than this is a book for you. I would lend you mine but I went to the book signing here in Philadelphia, stood in line for two hours, and now the inside of my book says, “Matt, sorry about the Knicks,” (I told you he’s funny) so sorry, mine’s staying with me.
Last week I said he had the voice of a “blogger.” I was looking forward to seeing how his has voice translated from thousand word columns to a six-pound book, and I was pleasantly surprised. I should never have been worried, and I should have remembered great writers are like cheese, delicious on everything.
Simmons’ central mission statement is to explore why certain players and certain teams mattered more than others. He spends time discussing his conversation with Isaiah Thomas (Knicks public enemy #1) where Thomas gives away the basketball “secret.” He answers the age-old Wilt or Russ debate, and he also spends a large chunk of time destroying and rebuilding the admittedly ridiculous basketball hall of fame.
The Bottom Line: If you think “Who wants to sex Mutumbo?” is funny and want to find out why Wilt Chamberlain was a truly and astonishingly bad teammate then buy this book. Also if you hate it, it’s large enough that you can hit me in the face with it, and it will hurt…a lot, but please don’t.

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