"Doubting my sincerity about the game like questioning my existence," proclaims seven-time NBA All-Star Hill in this stellar account of his remarkable career. He begins by briskly charting his prodigious rise through the ranks of high school basketball in Reston, Va., in the 1980s, before arriving at Duke University, where, in the early '90s, he led the Blue Devils to two National Championships. Following Duke, Hill was drafted by the Detroit Pistons and went on to make his name over 18 seasons as one of the NBA's most talented players. As he revisits "lightning-in-a-bottle" moments on and off the court, Hill conveys his deep reverence for the sport, vividly evoking its febrile draw--where, he writes, "the ball possesses its own kinetic energy"--and bringing to life the inimitable spirit of his mentor and coach Mike Krzyzewski, who, Hill recalls, "spliced carefully, almost artfully." However, Hill's achievements came at the cost of a number of injuries, and multiple ankle surgeries led to his retirement in 2013; in closing chapters, where his family life provides a contemplative denouement, he remarks that some days "each stride feels like a timid probe on fiery coals." Even so, his passion for the court never wavers--as he confesses, "My life still revolves around it." Hoops fans shouldn't pass this up. (June)

A fast-paced and reflective account of an extraordinary career in basketball. There's a certain melancholic feel that runs through Hill's memoir, especially because basketball glory often comes with debilitating injury. "I have spent most of my life running, jumping, starting, and stopping," writes the author, a star at Duke and in the NBA. "Now I do not jump. I cannot run….If I golf too much, I am laid up the following day….It saddens me knowing that I will never play [basketball] again. I wish I loved golf as much as I loved basketball." However, that down note follows scores of memorable, sometimes iconic moments, foremost among them the 1992 NCAA playoff game against Kentucky in which Hill launched a long-distance pass to Christian Laettner, who buried the game-winning turnaround shot at the buzzer. Many experts consider the game to be the greatest in college basketball history. Growing up in Reston, Virginia, with a retired NFL player father and a mother active enough in political circles to count Hillary Clinton as a friend, Hill writes that he was suspected of growing up so privileged that he lacked hunger and was categorized as a "softie" in NBA training camp even though he was the third draft pick in his class. He puts the lie to that with an evident ethic of hard work and constant self-improvement, all of which he brought to his post--NBA career as a successful TV commentator, entrepreneur, and eventual team co-owner (Atlanta Hawks). Hill is also generous in praising both teammates and opponents, among them an Arizona Wildcat squad "whose entire roster was seemingly seven feet" and delivered a rare loss to Duke. He also has plenty of kind words for the often disliked Laettner. Hill writes affectingly of all the physical injuries he suffered while playing for four NBA teams, establishing a record of excellence in each. This is a perfect complement to Coach K, Ian O'Connor's recent book on Hill's college coach. An illuminating exploration of a demanding game by one of its greatest players. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Hill eloquently narrates his own story that spans from his youth basketball days in the 1980s to the present day as an NBA team executive. He chronicles winning the 1991 and 1992 NCAA National Championships as a Duke Blue Devil, playing on the 1996 U.S. Olympic team, and his 19 years in the NBA (1994--2013) with four teams (Pistons, Magic, Suns, and Clippers). His account of his complex and lengthy ankle injury, including the multiple surgeries, sepsis, and extended recovery times, is exceptionally retold. Since retiring from the NBA, Hill continues his involvement in basketball as a co-owner of the Atlanta Hawks as well as a basketball analyst, most notable for his colorful commentary during the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Information on his work as an analyst could have been improved with insider details. Recaps of games are approached with the notion that listeners understand basketball and its terminology. VERDICT For basketball fans and those who bleed Duke blue, but Hill's autobiography is also a worthy addition to any library's sports collection as Hill, once a role model on the court, is one off it as well.--Kym Goering