Roland Lazenby is one of the preeminent voices when it comes professional hoops. He’s covered the NBA since 1988, and has written several books on many of the games’ most revered figures, including Jerry West, Michael Jordan, and Phil Jackson.
His latest book, “Showboat: The Life of Kobe Bryant,” is a dynamic biography of the loved and loathed Los Angeles’ swingman. In more than 600 pages, Lazenby covers the Mamba from his distinct childhood in Italy to his championship glory (and agonies) in LA.
The book does a masterful job of going beyond what the public already knows about Kobe — that he was a maniacal competitor — and gives the reader a comprehensive look at what propelled him to reach the apex of his sport.