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Out of Bounds: Inside the NBA's Culture of Rape, Violence, and Crime
The top national expert on athletes and crime and the author of Pros and Cons brings us a controversial in-depth look at criminals in the NBA The Kobe Bryant rape case and the arrest of Baylor basketball player Carlton Dotson for allegedly murdering teammate Patrick Dennehy, has galvanized the attention of the public and the press on athletes and crime. Jeff Benedict, with his background in research regarding professional athletes and crime, uses these cases as a springboard into an unprecedented look at criminals who play professional basketball. In this raw exposé, Benedict evaluates every single current player in the NBA and his criminal history, revealing new and startling information about NBA players, the crimes they commit, the league’s tolerance and complacency in these instances, as well as the manner in which these cases are handled or disposed of in the justice system.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2004
19 people are currently reading
151 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Benedict
38 books173 followersJeff Benedict conducted the first national study on sexual assault and athletes. He has published three books on athletes and crime, including a blistering exposé on the NFL, Pros and Cons: The Criminals Who Play in the NFL, and Public Heroes, Private Felons: Athletes and Crimes Against Women. He is a lawyer and an investigative journalist who has written five books.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 17, 2011
I am about 3/4 of the way through this book and doubt that I will read anymore. I read Jeff Benedict's Little PInk House and No Bone Unturned and really enjoyed both of those books. I felt that the research done supported what was written in the two books. He was able to interview both sides of the cases and, although you knew which side he supported, it felt like you got both perspectives. Not true in this book.
Out of Bounds feels like a bad tabloid magazine from the very beginning. He begins by stating that he researched the players from one NBA season in early 2000 and determined that 40% had a serious legal charge--rape, robbery, assault, etc. However, it is important that you read his methodology---he first excludes all players not born in the USA. He doesn't explain why, he just does. Then he attempted to do a records check on all the remaining players. He got a 42 % response rate from law enforcement offices (showing either the charges or no charges) on the over 400 remaining players not previously excluded on his list. That is a high response number considering he rushed through this book. In the beginning of the book, he explains how he only had 5 months to research, write and get the book to final print form. Maybe he should have taken a little more time to do his research and interview both sides so that this book wouldn't come across so biased. Bottom line is that of the 42% of players that he obtained the background on, he found 40% of those had a serious charge.
I don't doubt many of the points in his book---NBA players, and other celebrities, are not held to the same accountability for their actions as the general public, receive preferiential treatment, and often have feelings of entitlement. I also believe that may of the accusations of sexual assault mentioned in the book are probably true, but that the victims feel that they can't speak out without having the media hound them, have the public accuse them of wanting money or fame, and can't handle the pressure by the NBA player's agents, lawyers, family, etc. to get them to drop the case. However, the most unfortunate part of this is that Jeff Benedict could have done more research and taken more time to write a better book so that these victims had their story told in a respectful way that offered them some type of vindication for the wrongs of the players that they were unable to achieve through the legal system. As it is written, you don't know what is really true and what is fluff.
I wouldn't waste my time reading this book. After reading this one, I don't know that I will read anymore of his books.
Out of Bounds feels like a bad tabloid magazine from the very beginning. He begins by stating that he researched the players from one NBA season in early 2000 and determined that 40% had a serious legal charge--rape, robbery, assault, etc. However, it is important that you read his methodology---he first excludes all players not born in the USA. He doesn't explain why, he just does. Then he attempted to do a records check on all the remaining players. He got a 42 % response rate from law enforcement offices (showing either the charges or no charges) on the over 400 remaining players not previously excluded on his list. That is a high response number considering he rushed through this book. In the beginning of the book, he explains how he only had 5 months to research, write and get the book to final print form. Maybe he should have taken a little more time to do his research and interview both sides so that this book wouldn't come across so biased. Bottom line is that of the 42% of players that he obtained the background on, he found 40% of those had a serious charge.
I don't doubt many of the points in his book---NBA players, and other celebrities, are not held to the same accountability for their actions as the general public, receive preferiential treatment, and often have feelings of entitlement. I also believe that may of the accusations of sexual assault mentioned in the book are probably true, but that the victims feel that they can't speak out without having the media hound them, have the public accuse them of wanting money or fame, and can't handle the pressure by the NBA player's agents, lawyers, family, etc. to get them to drop the case. However, the most unfortunate part of this is that Jeff Benedict could have done more research and taken more time to write a better book so that these victims had their story told in a respectful way that offered them some type of vindication for the wrongs of the players that they were unable to achieve through the legal system. As it is written, you don't know what is really true and what is fluff.
I wouldn't waste my time reading this book. After reading this one, I don't know that I will read anymore of his books.
December 25, 2013
Overall, the author makes a good use of police records and interviews to prove his point, suggested by the book's title.
June 22, 2021
Rating - 7.7
Definitely well-researched & a subject that should be discussed more publicly/transparently; however, just feels like there is something missing & not the resonating stomach punch that it should be
Going from case-to-case, the narrative devolves into a gossip-site & would have benefitted from credentialed, psychological viewpoints and/or analysis as to why it is more prevalent in basketball
Editing was a tad shoddy
Definitely well-researched & a subject that should be discussed more publicly/transparently; however, just feels like there is something missing & not the resonating stomach punch that it should be
Going from case-to-case, the narrative devolves into a gossip-site & would have benefitted from credentialed, psychological viewpoints and/or analysis as to why it is more prevalent in basketball
Editing was a tad shoddy
December 25, 2024
In my personal reading log, I rated this book 10 out of 10. This book is so darn good! Jeff Benedict does it again! I have a previous review that states that I will read anything this man writes. It's true... This blew me away! Behind the scenes is shameful...
April 17, 2022
Like his football book, lots of cases that went nowhere leaving the perception that most NBA stars are slime. Maybe, maybe not but he could have spent more time on the whys of the situation.
July 25, 2022
The book seemed to repeat the same evidence and many of the accusations he couldn't confirm. Also felt there was the bias undertone towards the nba vs say MLB.
September 19, 2008
Compelling reading. This scratches the surface of what permeates the mind of some of our favorite hoop heroes. The story of the Gold Room is amazing...Patrick Ewing, whatchu doin in the shady FLA titty-bars!?!
April 12, 2014
Well researched and cited book about crimes in NBA. I must admit, I don't follow basketball, so most of these stars were unknown to me. I don't have an opinion about them outside this book and this book makes the whole league look bad.
November 25, 2007
Boring and kind of preachy near the end.
Wholly depressing look at the realities of violence in the NBA--though an interesting subject, this particular book on it was poorly written.
Wholly depressing look at the realities of violence in the NBA--though an interesting subject, this particular book on it was poorly written.
July 21, 2008
Any alleged NBA fan should read this book, in order to be aware of the type of criminal organization you support.
January 6, 2009
Was an interesting read. Definitely made me dislike a number of the NBA players!
July 15, 2009
You'll never watch an NBA basketball game the same way again.
March 23, 2015
Not an easy book to read, but an important one. I think it should be taught in PE classes to all student athletes.
November 12, 2014
I read this in the Summer of 2004. I thought it was a really interesting book. It came out about the time Kobe Bryant was in that mess in his hotel room.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews