Book Review: Oscar Robertson The Big O

The Big O: My Life, My Times, My Game

History; more than a triple double

The only player to average a triple double in a season is Oscar Robertson.
Known as the Big O, this book takes you to the early heydays of the NBA when the league was still low on money, and the country still faced segregation.
The book is fascinating in many ways, but it's not just a success story of how it felt to average a triple double.
The book offers more than basketball, but history lessons of the NBA.
His story is linked to the American times of segregation and also the very early times of the NBA still in it's baby stages.
From winning the Indiana High School State Championship, moving on to the University of Cincinnati, to the NBA and even after retiring, his success is always intertwined with issues of segregation.
Despite that he became President of the Player's Union and won a legal battle for the rights to free agency.
Something I'm sure that the Miami Heat can be thankful of right now.
It should also be mentioned that despite all the hurdles he faced, he had also become a successful businessman after retiring.

Of course there is plenty of basketball as well.
It's quite interesting to read through the thoughts and intellect of a one of a kind player who revolutionized the position of the guard.
At 6feet 5 inches, strong and powerful, sweet jumper and speed and playing plenty of point guard, he may have been the first multi position all round talent to come to the game.

The only sad part of the book is his resent and hard feelings toward segregation. I don't blame him for it and it's hard if not impossible to take it away from him but it's just sad to be reminded of how cruel humans can be. You just wished for a more happy journey but then again, he may have been the chosen one strong enough to accomplish what he has.

In so many ways, Oscar Robertson played a huge role of paving the way for black players in the NBA and beat so many odds in doing so.
It was a satisfying read that was more than basketball.