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David Thompson: Skywalker | 
 enlarge | Author: David Thompson
Creators: Sean Stormes, Marshall Terrill
Publisher: Sports Publishing LLC
Category: Book
List Price: $22.95
Buy Used: $2.42
You Save: $20.53 (89%)
New (19) Used (22) Collectible (4) from $2.42
Avg. Customer Rating:  7 reviews
Sales Rank: 674024
Format: Illustrated
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 250
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.4
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.1
ISBN: 1582616523
Dewey Decimal Number: 796
EAN: 9781582616520
ASIN: 1582616523
Publication Date: September 1, 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: A nice ex-library copy. Gently used. All pages and cover clear except for a few library markings. Mylar over dustjacket. Binding solid and tight. No creases. If you choose standard shipping, it could take up to 14 BUSINESS days and in rare cases 21.
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Product Description
Basketball legend Thompson tells his inspiring life story, chronicling his rise, fall, and incredible recovery from the drug and alcohol abuse that ended his NBA Hall of Fame playing career.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...
 Skywalker soars February 8, 2006
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
David Thompson was a great basketball player in college and had a great start in his pro career. Unfortunately, David gave in to the lure of drugs and his career and life suffered. Somehow, through his belief in God and his love of family, David was able to eventually overcome his demons. His rebound was too late for his basketball career, but not too late to save his marriage.
David is very clear in discussing his problems. He makes no excuses. His love for his God and his wife are also very clear, as he credits both with saving his life and sticking with him.
His review of the important 1974 NC State-UCLA semi-final game was very detailed and fascinating. I know he could not do that with every game or even every important game, yet still I would have liked more detail about his interactions with teammates and coaches. At times, this book was more about his redemption (which is more important in the grand scheme of things), than his basketball career, but a few more stories would have rounded out the book. He did play with some greats of the game and in the ABA. Surely he could have pulled out a few more stories.
Even with this one complaint, the book is well worth reading. David Thompson may have ended up being a better person than he was a basketball player!
 David Thompson: Skywalker December 29, 2004
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Enjoyed this look into the life of David Thompson, both the good, the bad the really bad and the good again. The chapter recalling the 1974 NC State/UCLA semi-final game was so detailed, it was like watching it all over again. Additionally, the book did not shy away from the dark side of David Thompson's life and although he may have not fulfilled his full professional basketball potential, it is gratifying to see his life is now at peace. Not just for hoops fans, but hoops fans will throughly enjoy !
Skywalker comes down-to-earth... August 28, 2004
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
The essence of David Thompson's impact on the NBA and it's fans is captured in the following memory...a playoff game in 1980 with Thompson's Denver Nuggets playing the Seattle Supersonics in the Seattle Kingdome...the game was in it's closing minutes and the outcome was no longer in doubt (Seattle had the game well in hand). Most TV viewers (especially those of us on the East Coast) had already undoubtedly turned off the TV, but I noticed that DT was still in the game. Telling myself to keep watching as Thompson may do something memorable, I kept my attention focused until with about 30 seconds remaining, DT had the ball at the top of the key. Faking left and driving right, he took off from just inside the dotted circle...cuffing the ball in his right hand (at 6' 4" his hands were too small to palm the ball), he sailed in and threw down a one-handed windmill tomahawk slam over two amazed Sonics that brought me and the remaining crowd in the Kingdome to it's feet. My mission then complete, I felt it was safe to then turn off the TV and go to bed.
It was with these type of memories that I obtained a copy of Skywalker...I needed to know how this mega-talented legend fell so far. What I got and what other readers of this work will get is a completely honest mea-culpa...straight forward and with no excuses Thompson explains his rise from a shy teenager just discovering that an amazing leaping ability could lead to superstardom to his equally amazing fall from that lofty position. He explains his addictions and insecurities and how these affected him and those he cared about...all culminating with a remarkable recovery topped-off with his induction into the NBA Hall of Fame in 1996. Along the way we also get a first hand account of the building of the legend and an inside look at the 1970's and 80's NBA...the legendary players and unfortunately the legendary drug use.
DT became a nationally known superstar in the early 70's of course as a member of the National Champion North Carolina State Wolfpack...the team that essentially unseated the mighty UCLA Bruins of John Wooden and Bill Walton (who pens an excellent forward to this book). He shuns the NBA and instead becomes the star of the ABA's Denver Nuggets...further driving a wedge between the leagues that ultimately leads to the 1976 merger. Year after year Thompson sets the bar for "high-wire", above the rim ball (along with Julius Erving) that preceded Michael Jordan by over 10 years (Jordan admits that Thompson was his main boyhood idol). His career is full of legendary highlights such as the 1976 ABA Slam Dunk contest and culminates in 1979 with his end-of-season battle with George Gervin for the NBA scoring title. Scoring 73 points in the season ending game against the hapless Detroit Pistons, DT takes the lead in the race. Gervin plays that evening and knows exactly how many points he needs to score and breaks through with 63 points of his own against the equally hapless New Orleans Jazz winning the title and adding to his own legend as well.
As important as the basketball side, the personal side of Thompson's story is the strongest part of this work. Thompson's writing style certainly isn't Pulitzer worthy, but it's the force of his story and his uncompromising explanations of his personal problems that capture his audience and is what ultimately sells this book. Cocaine and alchohol drag him down and forces him out the league at a relatively young age...injuries also had much to do with it and he argues that the long term abuse may have led to them. A jail term (where he watches Erving's retirement from the NBA) and many re-hab visits force Thompson to consider building a better life and he becomes a born-again Christian. This is the avenue that ultimately leads to his recovery and Hall of Fame induction in 1996.
A strong read and an important one especially for young fans of the NBA, David Thompson has a strong message for all. Having been at the heights of fame and at the lowest of lows, DT's life takes on an important meaning...all fans and players should read this to see the fragile hold fame has on it's participants. I highly recommend this.
a Strong Read January 2, 2004
2 out of 6 found this review helpful
David Thompson was Awesome Back in the day.Imagine DR.J,Jordan,Kobe&Vince Carter&with Madd Hoops that was David Thompson. if the NBA of Today was Allowed Back in the day then David Thompson would Be talked about the same way Lebron James&Kobe are today.same goes with DR J. this Book tackles His Whole Career from college,ABA&NBA&also Off the court.David Thompson is One of the Most Gifted Atheletes that I Ever saw as well.Props to Him always.
An awesome book for any ACC hoops fan December 3, 2003
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This book tells the amazing story of the basketball protegy that goes to NC State, wins the NCAA championship, goes to the ABA and becomes the best player immediatly, then goes on to success in the NBA. Unfortunatly, drug use and a bad fall in a nightclub rob him of a MJ-like career. Now he has found God and cleaned himself up. A very inpsiring book.By the way, he tells a story of how NC State was put on probation for his recruitment, and how UNC is to blame! Very juicy stuff.
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