Ice

Overview

An entertaining and deeply personal autobiography from one of basketball's all-time great scorers

To see George Gervin on the hardwood was to witness elegance, entertainment, and boundless cool. With his unmatched agility and vast repertoire of moves, Gervin floated his way to bucket after bucket, night after night across 14 years in the ABA and NBA.

"The Iceman" made it look easy, and his number 44 hangs high in the San Antonio rafters as tribute to the excellence that seemed to roll right off his fingertips.

In Iceman: Why I Was Born to Score, Gervin opens up for the first time about his life in basketball and beyond, including his childhood in Detroit, the rocky and unconventional path that brought him to professional basketball, and the successful legacy he built as a Spur.

Gervin also reflects on family, mental health, spirituality, and his continuing bond with the San Antonio community in this candid and conversational book.

Reviews

“Ice shows us there is so much more to the man beyond the cool nickname and enigmatic smile. His perseverance, determination, and grounded perspective on his accomplishments and place in basketball history make Ice a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining read.”
—JEMELE HILL, CONTRIBUTING WRITER, THE ATLANTIC

“The rare player who could score like Tracy McGrady, was as smooth as Dr. J, and who, while highly decorated, is probably underrated. But now after sharing his story in full, Gervin should get his due. Not only the player, but also the man— with all his complexity, all his challenges, and all his cool.”
—CHRIS BROUSSARD, SPORTS BROADCASTER, FS1 AND FOX SPORTS RADIO

“George played with a finesse that made me feel comfortable playing the way I did. It was just reassurance for me. I always knew what I wanted to be, but seeing someone who looked like me play the game at the highest level just made my dreams more attainable.”
—KEVIN DURANT, 13-TIME NBA ALL-STAR, FROM HIS FOREWORD

“Detroit’s own George Gervin is one of a small number of hoopers who could be described as both great and iconic. Ice takes us on a personal and professional journey beyond the mythology to help us better understand the man. Like Gervin’s signature finger roll, Ice: Why I Was Born to Score is a true representation of cool and a classic demonstration of Black excellence, in no uncertain terms.” 
—DR. TODD BOYD, THE KATHERINE AND FRANK PRICE ENDOWED CHAIR FOR THE STUDY OF RACE AND POPULAR CULTURE AT USC 

“You get every piece of the George Gervin story in the most intricate, most delicate, most nuanced way possible. You feel yourself in the rooms, and in the hallways, and in the conversations, and on the court. It’s remarkable.”
—SHEA SERRANO, WRITER FOR THE RINGER, AUTHOR OF BASKETBALL (AND OTHER THINGS) AND THE RAP YEAR BOOK