Hard Labor

Overview

Uncover the untold story of the NBA's billion-dollar revolution, driven by a landmark legal battle.

What if the NBA's greatest legacy isn't on the court, but in the courtroom? Join Sam Smith as he unearths the incredible story of Oscar Robertson and a team of NBA stars who fought for financial equity and free agency. Hard Labor reveals how these players battled the league, challenged the status quo, and paved the way for today's NBA superstars. Discover the harsh consequences they faced and the lasting impact of their fight.

For fans of sports history, this is a must-read that explores the intersection of sports, business, and civil rights. Learn how a group of determined athletes transformed the NBA into the global phenomenon it is today. Get ready to discover the real game behind the game.

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Hard Labor

The Battle that Birthed the Billion-Dollar NBA

By Sam Smith

The highest NBA player salaries in recent years have eclipsed 30 million dollars. Franchise valuations measure in the billions. The league enjoys an enormous international fan base, lucrative television contracts and a strong brand image. Star players are more than athletes, appearing in advertisements, gossip columns and blockbuster films. It’s a golden age for the NBA players, but it hasn’t always been this way.

In Hard Labor: The Battle that Birthed the Billion-Dollar NBA (Triumph Books, November 2017), Sam Smith, bestselling author of The Jordan Rules, explores the complex and underappreciated history of players’ struggles and the advent of modern free agency. Smith’s passion for the game, when combined with his unmatched talent for covering it, makes for a thoroughly researched and accessible account of the challenges and sacrifices made by the Oscar Robertson 14 that paved the way for the modern NBA. Highlights include:

• Anecdotes surrounding the player/owner relationships of the 1950s and ’60s
• Details of the Robertson vs. the NBA suit and the personal consequences suffered by Oscar Robertson and other key players involved
• How the battle for players’ rights paralleled the civil rights movement of the time, and how race played a role
• A heartfelt appeal to modern players to recognize and honor the bravery and sacrifices of the generation of players who provided them the opportunities they take for granted

Hard Labor offers a penetrating look at how the efforts of an overlooked generation laid the groundwork for altering the social and professional landscape of American sports. With a provocative, humorous, educational and entertaining voice, Smith delivers a must-read for sports historians, lifelong diehards and the new generation of fans.

About the Author:

Sam Smith is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Jordan Rules, Second Coming, and There is No Next. Sam received the Naismith Hall of Fame 2012 Curt Gowdy Media Award and he writes for Bulls.com. You can follow him at @SamSmithHoops.

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