I would like to thank the following for answering my questions: Terry Armour, Marty Burns, Jud Buechler, Scott Burrell, Bill Cartwright, Horace Grant, Ron Harper, John Jackson, Phil Jackson, Michael Jordan, Steve Kerr, Joe Kleine, Jerry Krause, Toni Kukoc, Rusty LaRue, Bruce Levine, John Ligmanowski, Luc Longley, Kent McDill, Scottie Pippen, Jerry Reinsdorf, Dennis Rodman, Jim Rose, Chip Schaefer, Sam Smith, Rick Telander, Rod Thorn, Mark Vancil, Bill Wennington, Tex Winter and numerous others (you know who you are).
For their friendship and guidance, I would like to thank L.J. Beaty, George Mumford, Bill Kovarik, David Halberstam, Mike Hudson, Mike Shank, Lindy Davis, Billy Packer, Kay Kuhn, Susan Storey, Heather Lowhorn, Greg and Lindy Boeck, Marty Burns, Jeff Joniak, Steve Kashul, Scott McCoy, Cheryl Raye, Mark Vancil, Rick Telander, Joe Austin, Ron Anderson and Mark Morrison.
I have a number of people to thank for making this project possible. First, Bob Snodgrass, the publisher at Addax, and his assistants Darcie Kidson, Sharon Snodgrass, and Michelle Washington, all helped guide it through the publishing process. Then, of course, there’s my wife Karen and children Jenna, Henry and Morgan, who somehow manage to cope with the crazy nature of my work.
I want to acknowledge the work of the dozens of writers and reporters who have covered the NBA, including Mitch Albom, Terry Armour, Lacy J. Banks, Jesse Barkin, Terry Boers, Gary Seymour, Mike Nadel, Jim O’Donnell, Cheryl Raye, Mitch Chortkoff, Robert Falkoff, Bill Gleason, Scott Howard-Cooper, Mike Imrem, Melissa Isaacson, John Jackson, Paul Ladewski, Bernie Lincicome, Bob Logan, Jay Mariotti, Kent McDill, Corky Meinecke, Mike Mulligan, Fred Mitchell, Skip Myslenski, Glenn Rogers, Steve Rosenbloom, Phil Rosenthal, Skip Bayless, Eddie Sefko, Gene Seymour, Sam Smith, Ray Sons, Paul Sullivan, Mike Tulumello, Mark Vancil, Bob Verdi, Scoop Jackson, Kerry Eggers, Michael Bradley, Terry Pluto, Tourre, Mike Kahn, Michael Hunt, Martin Frank and many, many others. Their work has been invaluable. Extensive use was made of a variety of publications, including the ESPN Magazine, Sports Illustrated, Slam, Toronto Globe and Mail, Waterbury Republican, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Inside Stuff, Lindy’s Pro Basketball Annual, the Akron Beacon Journal, Baltimore Sun, Basketball Times, Boston Globe, Chicago Defender, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Copley Newspapers, Daily Southtown, The Detroit News, The Detroit Free Press, The Daily Herald, Hoop Magazine, Houston Post, Houston Chronicle, Inside Sports, Los Angeles Times, The National, New York Daily News, The New York Times, New York Post, The Charlotte Observer, USA Today, The Oregonian, Philadelphia Inquirer, San Antonio Express-News, Sport, Sports Illustrated, The Sporting News, Street & Smith’s Pro Basketball Yearbook, and The Washington Post.
Also vital were several books, including:
And Now, Your Chicago Bulls! by Roland Lazenby
Bull Run! by Roland Lazenby
Bull Session by Johnny Kerr and Terry Pluto
Michael Jordan by Mitchell Krugel
Rare Air by Michael Jordan with Mark Vancil
Sportswit by Lee Green
The Bob Verdi Collection by Bob Verdi
The Glory and the Dream by William Manchester
The Jordan Rules by Sam Smith
The Sporting News NBA Official Guide and Register