The Last Amateurs

Trade Paperback

Playing for Glory & Honor in Division 1 Basketball

Like millions who love college basketball, John Feinstein was first drawn to the game because of its intensity, speed and intelligence. And like many others he felt that the vast sums of money involved in NCAA basketball had turned the sport into a division of the NBA rather than the beloved amateur sport it once was. He went in search of college basketball played with the passion and integrity it once inspired and found the Patriot League. As one the the NCAA's smallest none of these teams leaves college early to join the NBA and none of these coaches gets national recognition or endorsement contracts. The young men on these teams are playing for the love of the sport, of competition and of their schools. John Feinstein spent an unforgettable season with these players, uncovering the drama of their daily lives and the passions that drive them to commit hundreds of hours to basketball even when there is no chance of a professional future. This is a look at American sport at its purest, written with the intensity, drama and insight into character that have made bestsellers of John Feinstein's previous books.