Every Shot Counts: A Memoir of Resilience

by Carlos Boozer

"With  Every Shot Counts , I hope that you’ll be as inspired by Carlos' journey as I’ve been."—Shaquille O’Neal  

From NBA All-Star and ESPN commentator Carlos Boozer, a gripping, intimate and inspiring memoir about overcoming trauma, achieving your dreams and staying true to who you are in the process

Most know Carlos Boozer as the beloved power forward whose dazzling basketball career spanned two decades. But few know the dramatic, poignant and powerful story behind his meteoric rise. Now, for the first time he's ready to open up about a traumatic incident from his childhood that forever altered the trajectory of his life and shaped him into the man he is today. In Every Shot Counts , Carlos shares that story, as well

Raw, relatable and profoundly inspiring,  Every Shot Counts  will reframe the way you think about a familiar sports figure and the untold weight of the stories we all silently carry.
 

Genres: Sports

314 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 3, 2023

Reviews

[Larry (LPosse1) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every Shot Counts by Carlos Boozer

Carlos Boozer’s Every Shot Counts is more than just a basketball memoir—it’s a reflection on perseverance, purpose, and what it means to grow through life’s challenges, both on and off the court.

As someone who coached high school basketball at Meade River School in Alaska, this book carried personal weight for me. One of the highlights of my teaching and coaching career came in 1999, when our team was just one game away from earning an invitation to the state championship. Our comeback in that final game fell just short, but the experience is etched in my memory—not just for the competition, but for the hope and excitement it sparked in our players. Back then, Carlos Boozer was already a rising star in Alaska, and my boys were dreaming about the chance to one day play against him. That kind of inspiration is what Boozer represented for young athletes in our state.

Another unforgettable moment came over Thanksgiving in 1998, when I traveled to Anchorage for a college basketball kickoff tournament hosted by the University of Alaska. Duke just happened to be one of the four teams competing. Little did we know that Coach K was there on a mission—to sign the Juneau High School phenom. Looking back, it feels like we were witnessing a bit of basketball history in real time. Reading Every Shot Counts brought all those memories flooding back.

Boozer writes candidly about his journey from Alaska to Duke to the NBA, and the grit it took to succeed at each level. He’s refreshingly honest about his setbacks—injuries, contract drama, and deeply personal family struggles—and it all adds up to a story that’s as human as it is athletic. His reflections on fatherhood, faith, and resilience resonated deeply with me, particularly as someone who has worked closely with young people as both a teacher and a coach.

As a longtime fan, I also followed Boozer’s career when he played for the Chicago Bulls. Those moments—his chemistry with teammates, battles in the playoffs, and veteran leadership—are captured well in the book. It was fun to revisit those chapters from his perspective.

While the book doesn’t dive deeply into basketball tactics or NBA politics, it delivers a message that goes beyond sports. It’s about heart, resilience, and believing in the long game—something I saw in my own players, and something Boozer exemplifies.

Verdict:
Every Shot Counts isn’t just a story for basketball fans—it’s for anyone who understands the power of dreams and the grind it takes to chase them. For me, it rekindled memories of special seasons and unforgettable moments, both in Alaska gyms and watching the pros. Carlos Boozer’s story reminded me why coaching matters—and why every shot really does count.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book on Goodreads.

I am enjoying the conversational writing style. I found the transition from city to Alaska interesting... Especially the extra steps needed to compete (airplanes for regular season high school games and complete relocation for summer travel leagues).

This book is worth the read if for no other reason than to appreciate Mr. Boozer's parent's expectations, the work ethic, and a good role model.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved him at Duke. I didn’t know his story. Always a good read when it’s basketball and my Dukies. 🥰

[Mark Lieberman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book from Netgalley, so I can read and review it before it’s published.

Just like the last book I read, Boston Ball, this book was in that same list that somebody compiled about the best upcoming sports books and when I saw it, I immediately was intrigued and threw it in my Amazon Wishlist. I have a few more books from that list that I will read when they come out:

Magic: The Life of Earvin “Magic” Johnson – by Roland Lazenby

Ice: Why I Was Born to Score – by George Gervin, Scoop Jackson
By God’s Grace – by Chris Webber
Prehistoric: The Audacious and Improbable Origin Story of the Toronto Raptors – by Alex Wong

See, I prefer basketball books!

So, back to Carlos Boozer…

I didn’t know he lived in Alaska. I didn’t know anything about his immediate family. Most athletes are private and don’t disclose this information, and I am glad he did as I learned about Sickle cell anemia. His first born had it, as Carlos and his ex-wife both were carriers. They had twins soon after, and they disease free. Because of that, doctors were able to use their cells to cure the other one. Man, that is amazing. Don’t be surprised if you see one of his kids playing professionally!

I really enjoyed reading about how he got started playing basketball, his college recruitment, his college playing career at Duke University (he won a national championship in 2001), his NBA career, his Olympic playing career, and all of his injuries he suffered.

[Laura Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure- big Duke fan since I was a child and autobiography/memoir is my guilty pleasure.

That being said this was easily one of the best memoirs I've ever read. It was truly a pleasure and honor to read it. It starts out with a shocking crime that is the catalyst of a major life change and what begins to make Carlos Boozer. Reading the inside stories of Duke basketball and The Brotherhood was cool. Hearing some of his mentor stories and advice was enlightening. Reliving the championship year was cool and very well written. It made me go back in time and relive some of those games and wins. Esp Maryland - i remember sitting in my college dorm watching those games with friends, including one from MD. But what I really got out of this for myself was a renewed sense of passion and determination for myself as I'm training for my first 5k in years after multiple knee and ankle injuries. My knew motto is "every shot counts" and I'm applying that to how I face things at work, life and play.

This is a must read for an basketball fan. And if you're looking for inspiration, this book is for you as well.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A clearly written autobiography by a person devoted to craft and gracious in remembering who helped him. The cool tone reveals Carlos Jrʼs resilience and strategic thinking on and off the court. Iʼm not a frequent spectator of college or pro basketball, so I appreciated that he was able to describe tactics and events directly. Itʼs a wonderful book!

Hereʼs where my disclaimer comes in, as I knew him as a high schooler, not as the amazing Olympian and NBA player. And, yes, there are some hometown stories that didnʼt make it into the book. But his forthright determination and devoted parents are true!

[Andre(Read-A-Lot) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very impressive. The biggest takeaway for me is just how supportive of his dream to be a NBA player, his parents were. Many children have professional athletics as a dream, but just as many lack the parental support to make the dream a reality. And I’m talking about going beyond the verbal encouragement, to the physical activity to helping one practice. The parents of Carlos Boozer are the true heroes in his memoir.

[Jeff Wait · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started really strong with an anecdote that made me cry. Then it stalled before finding some momentum, ending up as a fine memoir. I think I enjoyed it more than most because I grew up watching Booze.

[HTP Books]

Basketball, Sports Biographies & Autobiographies, Personal Memoirs

[Berri Culliton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed hearing about AAU basketball, Duke basketball and the NBA. Good autobiography

[Valene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened as an Audio Book and it was very good to hear Boozers experience and journey to the NBA. Appreciated his courage to talk about his friend Chris and the journey with his kids as well.

[Nola · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing makes you feel everything that happens in this book, even if, like me, you are not a basketball player and don’t follow basketball. Every part of the book is equally engaging. No spoilers here, but Carlos Boozer’s early life has an incredibly powerful story that opens the book with incredible shock. The rest of Carlos’ life before becoming a basketball star is warm and rich, showing a surprising amount of engagement with the community for someone who early on started spending summers touring the Unites States playing basketball. Carlos’ father is central in his life and in developing him as a basketball player. It is hard to imagine how his father found the time and energy, not only to spend with Carlos, but also for all the other parts of his life, He worked, raised 2 boys and 3 girls, hiked, camped, hunted, (even for moose!) fished, and spent countless hours coaching Carlos in basketball. I wonder if there were any chores that didn’t get done while he was so busy. There are a few basketball terms that I didn’t understand, but the book was able to make basketball exciting and accessible overall. There is a least one personal detail later in the book that I found confusing. Carlos Boozer tells of finding himself suffering from depression without any further details. I understand that this is something he might not want to go into further, and I’m glad he shared it, but this was the single part of the book for which context was missing. There was nothing to indicate if there was a recovery or a cause. I do appreciate the color photos in the book. The writing makes you feel like you share the author’s life, despite the vast differences.

[Mel · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a die-hard Duke fan (and alum who attended Duke at the same time as Boozer), I was excited to read more about one of our star players. And I did enjoy his story -- some of which brought back fond memories, much of which I didn't know. But the editing...ATROCIOUS.

First of all, the name of Boozer's superstar teammate is Jason Williams or Jay Williams. Never JAYSON Williams (which is how it is spelled throughout the book). This irked me, but I probably would have let it slide (with some grumbling) if not for the many other errors that piled up throughout the book.

There were too many examples of misspelled words and names (like "Irving" instead of "Erving" for Dr. J!), and I was annoyed by the inconsistency of number styles (i.e., "2" vs. "two"). But when the recap of the Final Four match-up against Maryland mentioned a timeout called at the end of the first quarter, I nearly threw the book across the room. Why? Because THERE ARE NO QUARTERS IN NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL!!

If this book had been about anyone other than one of my beloved Blue Devils, I would have just given up, but I did want to finish the story. Thankfully, I found fewer errors as I continued; I'm not sure if there weren't as many, or if I just didn't notice because I'm much less knowledgeable about Boozer's post-Duke career.

If you're someone who can read a book and ignore typos and (what are to most people) minor errors, then definitely take a chance on this. Unfortunately, I was just left frustrated and wondering how the editor got paid for this mess.

[Ken Heard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Generally, when you read a sports "autobiography,' you look for the "as told to" additional byline, or the co-author's name.

Instead, Carlos Boozer wrote this himself and it's one of the more intelligent sports autobios I've read in a long while. That's the first impression I got with this. Boozer is quite intelligent. He's reflective and doesn't proclaim himself to be the greatest basketball player of all time. He was the glue that held those Duke teams together when he played with Jayson Williams and Shane Battier and he was proud of the job.

This isn't some name dropping memoir like some. Instead, it's a look at how Boozer achieved things with hard work and paying attention to coaches and not causing issues. He also writes about dealing with health issues with his kids and admits to a failed marriage. It's a personal look at a life.

Boozer, while some only casual fans may not remember his pro career- perhaps because he never caused any outlandish attention-grabbing things like some, was a steadfast player of his time. He represented an even keel and his book shows how he did that. This is one of the better, more honest sports autobiographies I've read in a while.

[David Barney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading about Boozer and his work ethic, how he came from Alaska, to Duke and then the NBA.

[John Bass · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it was quite generic book and didnt go to details or reveals much.
3+/5 i would say

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really enjoyable read, the perfect mix between professional and personal.