Overview
A legend-filled anthology woven through with contemporary analysis of the N.B.A.'s influence throughout history
A courtside seat to the history of basketball's global phenomenon.Elevated provides a nuanced view of the NBA, chronicling its growth from the Bird-Magic era to the age of LeBron. This expansive compilation by New York Times reporters and columnists explores the league's most intriguing personalities and issues.
Through in-depth features and incisive commentary, this collection captures the essence of basketball's evolution. Enhanced by Araton's chapter introductions and reporter postscripts, it offers a look into the complexities of the sport and its cultural impact. Discover the stories behind the stories of:
- The Bird-Magic rivalry
- Michael Jordan's dominance
- The rise of global stars
For sports enthusiasts seeking a deeper understanding of the NBA's legacy, Elevated is an insightful journey through the defining moments and figures that shaped the game.
Reviews
“Bird. Dr. J. Magic. Michael. LeBron. Durant. Curry. They’re all here, and many more who may be less famous but are no less a part of the N.B.A. developmental fabric. These in-depth features and incisive commentary—enhanced by Araton’s chapter introductions and multiple reporter postscripts telling the story behind the stories—are playfully and passionately chronicled by the staff of a truly global newspaper that has covered the sport across all borders crossed by the N.B.A.”
— Jeff Van Gundy, from his foreword
"A wonderful, delicate, insightful book, and an exactly perfect gift for anyone who is just now beginning to love basketball or who has loved basketball for decades. There were so many times during it where, at the midpoint of a chapter, I'd remember some other bygone N.B.A. moment from my youth and then begin to hope that there'd be a section in Elevated about it later, and sure enough, more times than not, there it'd be, a handful of pages later, waiting for me, as though it knew I'd eventually come looking for it. Buy this book."
— Shea Serrano, author of Basketball (and Other Things) and The Rap Yearbook
“I loved this book. It reminded me of why I fell in love with the N.B.A. The great Harvey Araton and his wonderfully talented NY Times friends bring back a lifetime of basketball memories. But they also reveal many new fascinating anecdotes about the evolution of the league, and its greatest players. If you love the N.B.A., this book is a must read.”
— Mike Breen, N.B.A. broadcaster for ABC/ESPN and announcer for the New York Knicks
“There are few authors and subjects as perfectly matched as Harvey Araton and Elevated: The Global Rise of the N.B.A. Araton is the most influential and gifted writer ever on the N.B.A. and his ability to trace the storylines of the seismic shifts in the game’s landscape are without peer. If you care about the game and those who’ve most impacted its meteoric rise, Elevated is a must-read.”
— Adrian Wojnarowski, ESPN Senior N.B.A. Insider and New York Times Best-Selling Author
“The global phenomenon that is the NBA is now taken for granted, thanks to multiplatform exposure and the effect of social media on turning its stars into first-name icons. Amid all that, there is still fine sports journalism, as this collection of New York Times reporting shows. Editor Araton includes some of his own pieces but primarily provides context when introducing the work of such great journalists as Selena Roberts, Ira Berkow, Howard Beck, and Marc Stein. There’s a thoughtful piece by retired great Oscar Robertson and a fantastic interview with Pat Riley, who won four NBA championships in Los Angeles and another in Miami. There’s also a fascinating interview with Jason Collins, the first active NBA player to come out publicly as a gay man, and a fine account by Araton of the passing of the torch from NBA commissioner David Stern to his successor, Adam Silver. This is essentially a history of the modern NBA as reflected through the words of the sportswriters working for the nation's widely acknowledged paper of record.”
— Booklist
Author Biography
Harvey Araton has been a sports columnist for The New York Times since 1991, where he has covered ten Olympics and countless NBA finals, World Series, Super Bowls, and Final Fours. In 2017, Araton was honored by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as the recipient of the Curt Gowdy Media Award. He is the author of several previous books, including When the Garden Was Eden and Driving Mr. Yogi.
Jeff Van Gundy is an ESPN N.B.A. analyst, 2017 FIBA AmeriCup gold medal–winning coach, and former coach of the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets
Press Releases
Elevated
The Global Rise of the N.B.A.
By Harvey Araton and the staff of The New York Times / Foreword by Jeff Van Gundy
Contact: Sam Ofman, Triumph Books, 312.568.5450,
sofman@ipgbook.com
Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, LeBron James. These N.B.A. stars will always be synonymous with athletic brilliance. Beyond their achievements on the court, they grew to become international business tycoons, Hollywood celebrities and agents of social justice. They represent how the N.B.A. grew into a worldwide phenomenon that transcends sports.
In Elevated: The Global Rise of the N.B.A. (Triumph Books, April 16, 2019), Hall of Fame honoree Harvey Araton curates and annotates a selection of New York Times stories illuminating the evolution of the league during the past four decades. Covering both major headlines and lesser known tales, this incredible collection presents a thorough history and thoughtful examination of the league’s unprecedented growth and influence. Highlights include:
- A perceptive foreword from broadcast analyst and former N.B.A. coach Jeff Van Gundy
- Stories from Times standouts Selena Roberts, Lee Jenkins, Howard Beck and many more
- Insights on the growing role of players as social activists, and how the league has handled issues surrounding racism on and off the court
- Profiles of legendary teams and players including the Showtime Lakers, the Bad Boys, MJ’s Bulls and modern talents like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Steph Curry and others
- Original writing from Araton and other contributors detailing how the stories broke, what obstacles the journalists overcame and insights on how these pieces hold up in a modern context
Elevated does justice to its subject, with quality reporting to match the style and magnetism of the athletes within its pages. A true chronicle of the ever-changing, increasingly important and impactful game, this compilation of NYT journalism is a must-own for basketball fans of all ages.
About the Author:
Harvey Araton has been a sports columnist for The New York Times since 1991, where he has covered ten Olympics and countless NBA finals, World Series, Super Bowls and Final Fours. In 2017, Araton was honored by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as the recipient of the Curt Gowdy Media Award. He is the author of several previous books, including When the Garden Was Eden and Driving Mr. Yogi.
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