Books with title Basketball

After only ever playing pick-up games, Ana Ramirez is excited to attend a basketball summer camp where she'll play on a real team with real teammates. But when the coach says they'll use something called "zone defense," the shooting guard feels totally lost and starts to doubt her skills. Can Ana get out of her comfort zone and ask for help? Combining a dramatic sports story with a dynamic full-color comic format, this Jake Maddox Graphic Novel is sure to be a win for any young reader.

Playing sports is as much a mental game as it is a physical one, and this entry in the Mind vs. Muscle: The Psychology of Sports series (6 titles) describes how important sports psychologists are in helping basketball players develop the mental toughness to win. They teach goal setting and affirmations, which help athletes perform effectively as a team. The book covers basketball basics, overall team strength, the role of the coach, and the mental strategies, such as visualization, that players use to psych themselves up for game day. Different coaches and NBA players are profiled, and the book contains a glossary, a further-reading section, color photos of players of both genders, and an index. Although the topic isn't covered in great depth, there's much here that will appeal to young, aspiring players.