What do you think?
Rate this book
The Spencer Haywood Rule: Battles, Basketball, and the Making of an American Iconoclast
"If you are a basketball fan, you should be aware of Spencer Haywood's immense historical importance. If you're not aware, you should be." —Bob Ryan, The Boston Globe
Hall of Famer, Olympic gold medalist, MVP, and All-Star could all be used to describe the illustrious career of Spencer Haywood on the hardwood.
From picking cotton in rural Mississippi to the historic 1968 Olympics to Winning ABA MVP to the battle with the NBA that would go all the way to the Supreme Court and change the league forever, Spencer Haywood's life has been a microcosm of 20th-century sports and culture. One of the most dominant big men of his era, Haywood burst onto the international scene as a teenager with a revelatory performance at the Mexico City Olympics. Yet, while his basketball career was just beginning back in that summer of '68, it was only one of many notable moments in the extraordinary and fateful life of the big man from Silver City, Mississippi. In The Spencer Haywood Rule, Marc J. Spears of ESPN's The Undefeated and Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe worked with Spencer to tell the remarkable story of a man who was born into indentured servitude in rural Mississippi, and all of the unbelievable trials, tribulations, successes, failures, and redemptions that followed.
Haywood would go on to be the ABA Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season, but his triumphs on the court are only part of the?legend. His winding journey off the court saw him challenge the NBA's draft-entry rules and win at the Supreme Court level; run in New York City high-fashion circles in the mid-70s with his then-wife, supermodel Iman; and bottom out with alcohol and drug addiction during the infancy of the Showtime Lakers dynasty.? Spears and Washburn explore how Haywood's impact was felt throughout the NBA and in society at large—and still is to this day—culminating in Haywood's inspiring second act as an advocate for current and retired NBA players alike.
Hall of Famer, Olympic gold medalist, MVP, and All-Star could all be used to describe the illustrious career of Spencer Haywood on the hardwood.
From picking cotton in rural Mississippi to the historic 1968 Olympics to Winning ABA MVP to the battle with the NBA that would go all the way to the Supreme Court and change the league forever, Spencer Haywood's life has been a microcosm of 20th-century sports and culture. One of the most dominant big men of his era, Haywood burst onto the international scene as a teenager with a revelatory performance at the Mexico City Olympics. Yet, while his basketball career was just beginning back in that summer of '68, it was only one of many notable moments in the extraordinary and fateful life of the big man from Silver City, Mississippi. In The Spencer Haywood Rule, Marc J. Spears of ESPN's The Undefeated and Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe worked with Spencer to tell the remarkable story of a man who was born into indentured servitude in rural Mississippi, and all of the unbelievable trials, tribulations, successes, failures, and redemptions that followed.
Haywood would go on to be the ABA Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season, but his triumphs on the court are only part of the?legend. His winding journey off the court saw him challenge the NBA's draft-entry rules and win at the Supreme Court level; run in New York City high-fashion circles in the mid-70s with his then-wife, supermodel Iman; and bottom out with alcohol and drug addiction during the infancy of the Showtime Lakers dynasty.? Spears and Washburn explore how Haywood's impact was felt throughout the NBA and in society at large—and still is to this day—culminating in Haywood's inspiring second act as an advocate for current and retired NBA players alike.
234 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 6, 2020
15 people are currently reading
120 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 8, 2022
It is isn’t often an athlete will have a certain rule or process named for him or her, but Spencer Haywood is one of those athletes. After bucking the NBA’s rule for not allowing players who did not attend at least three years of college and playing in the rival ABA, the NBA changed and allowed players that young to compete. The amended rule was known for a long time as the “Spencer Haywood Rule” and that is the title of this biography of Haywood by Marc J. Spears.
There are many aspects of Haywood’s life that even hardcore fans of that era of basketball in the 1970’s and early 1980’s will learn. Not many realized that he was working picking cotton in Mississippi before going to Detroit and learning that his basketball skills will bring him farther than he dreamed. It was also interesting to read about his time on the 1968 US Olympic basketball team and his perspective on the civil rights issues of the time. It was clear from his commentary that despite the extra attention he received and the perks that come with his celebrity, he did not forget the struggles of not only his mother Eunice but all Black Americans.
There are some parts of his commentary, however, that will not resonate with some readers. His language is raw at times, as he is quoted frequently in the book no matter the topic or how he is talking. He does point out many people and even cities that he felt did him wrong, whether it concerned his basketball career, his drug use (which was a part of his basketball downfall) or his personal life. It would be safe to say Haywood experienced many highs and lows – some of which were his doing, some of which were not. This is his life and the way that he sees the circumstances that played out to make that life the way it was. For that, no matter how it comes across, it is authentic and therefore worth the time to read.
I wish to thank Triumph Books for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
There are many aspects of Haywood’s life that even hardcore fans of that era of basketball in the 1970’s and early 1980’s will learn. Not many realized that he was working picking cotton in Mississippi before going to Detroit and learning that his basketball skills will bring him farther than he dreamed. It was also interesting to read about his time on the 1968 US Olympic basketball team and his perspective on the civil rights issues of the time. It was clear from his commentary that despite the extra attention he received and the perks that come with his celebrity, he did not forget the struggles of not only his mother Eunice but all Black Americans.
There are some parts of his commentary, however, that will not resonate with some readers. His language is raw at times, as he is quoted frequently in the book no matter the topic or how he is talking. He does point out many people and even cities that he felt did him wrong, whether it concerned his basketball career, his drug use (which was a part of his basketball downfall) or his personal life. It would be safe to say Haywood experienced many highs and lows – some of which were his doing, some of which were not. This is his life and the way that he sees the circumstances that played out to make that life the way it was. For that, no matter how it comes across, it is authentic and therefore worth the time to read.
I wish to thank Triumph Books for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
August 21, 2022
Realllllly bummed by how poorly written this book was. Spencer Haywood is such a unique character and important figure in basketball history that he deserved a book that had been proofread. There's literally a typo on every other page in this. Surprising given who wrote it
November 28, 2020
This is a good story about a rise from rags to riches, a fall from grace and redemption. It shows the dangers of addiction and the value of perserverance. I really enjoyed it.
December 31, 2020
Very well written An amazing true story The beginning was very troubling to me. I do not understand the white people of Mississippi. How could they treat their farm workers so horribly. He was so lucky to get out of there alive.
April 12, 2023
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: THE LONG & WINDING ROAD OF HAYWOOD & BUCKETS OF TYPOS & MISTAKES!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Having played basketball well over half my life… and been a fan my entire life… I played during the same place in time as Spencer. While he was playing high school in Detroit I was one of the top high school scorers in Los Angeles. When he went to play in Junior College I did the same. When he went to the 1968 Olympics… I went in to the military during Viet Nam. I eventually played on the military team. One of my stops during my tour of duty was Spencer’s home state Mississippi. And when I was there… the anti-Semitism was as brutal as the racism. In fact my experience there was one of the two worst in my life. I bring this up so potential readers of this review will understand that my response to the content and style of this book… is not hindered by not appreciating the state of the United States and the world during the time covered in this book… as I was part of it.
Because, as I lived and played hoops and had a dream of playing at higher and higher levels… everywhere I played… I was well aware of Spencer and his accomplishments… and thus… I was really excited and full of anticipation for the release of this book. Unfortunately… upon reading it… I am totally disappointed! First of all there are innumerable typos… I mean double digit plus typos! At first it became constantly annoying… and then eventually it left me feeling embarrassed for whoever edited this book. Secondly… for almost every single page in this book (except for one incident) Spencer constantly and I mean… CONSTANTLY… blames every single problem and shortcoming on other people! (AND I MEAN EVERYTHING!) Including his drug addiction and passing out and falling asleep in a Laker practice during a World Championship run… which got him suspended and released from the team. He will continue to blame the Lakers for almost every remaining chapter of the book. He accuses all his teammates on every team he played on for knifing him in the back… he blames all his coaches… all team management… and NBA commissioners and executives. One minute he continually says how great the love is from the people of Seattle then he blames them for him being traded out of the city. It is non-stop… and you find yourself yelling at the book… “Hey Spencer look in the mirror… today’s mirror… and the rear view mirror of life!” At a point in his life he seeks psychological help and then a few pages later he goes right back to his non-stop screeds blaming everyone under the sun but himself.
Along with the endless typos and his unrelenting “woe is me” repetitiveness… there are also major simply wrong information. One example is when he’s blaming all-time basketball winner and icon Bill Russell who coached him for a while in Seattle. After Seattle got rid of him… Haywood makes the following statement regarding Russell: “He could have did more. He could have did this.’ He always compared us to Boston. We ain’t no Celtics. Those are White boys. We Black guys. Why he give us the same playbook they got?” (Note: throughout the book Spencer’s verbiage makes untold English teachers cringe.)
Now let me state what the true historical fact was about Bill Russell who won more championships than any player in the history of basketball! BILL RUSSELL WAS PART OF THE FIRST ALL-BLACK-STARTING-LINEUP IN THE HISTORY OF THE NBA ON THE CELTICS!!
After Haywood’s playing career ended he tells the story of working with Senator and former Presidential candidate Jack Kemp. One problem there… Kemp was never a Senator he was in the House of Representatives. Then Spencer says: “With Jack Kemp and I being former athletes, the Hall of Fame football player and me being in the basketball arena”… ANOTHER PROBLEM THERE… JACK KEMP WAS NOT IN THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME.
One shining constant throughout the book was the wonderful and touching love between him and his hard working religious Mother Eunice… who always motivated her son. She refused to leave Mississippi even after Spencer made it big and wanted her to come live in his large new dwelling.
Along with all the shortcomings previously discussed… there are a couple of “Too Much Information” (TMI) scenarios such as… “Spencer said he did not have sexual intercourse with his prom date and graduated high school still a virgin.” Based on his M.O. … he probably blamed that on someone else also.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Having played basketball well over half my life… and been a fan my entire life… I played during the same place in time as Spencer. While he was playing high school in Detroit I was one of the top high school scorers in Los Angeles. When he went to play in Junior College I did the same. When he went to the 1968 Olympics… I went in to the military during Viet Nam. I eventually played on the military team. One of my stops during my tour of duty was Spencer’s home state Mississippi. And when I was there… the anti-Semitism was as brutal as the racism. In fact my experience there was one of the two worst in my life. I bring this up so potential readers of this review will understand that my response to the content and style of this book… is not hindered by not appreciating the state of the United States and the world during the time covered in this book… as I was part of it.
Because, as I lived and played hoops and had a dream of playing at higher and higher levels… everywhere I played… I was well aware of Spencer and his accomplishments… and thus… I was really excited and full of anticipation for the release of this book. Unfortunately… upon reading it… I am totally disappointed! First of all there are innumerable typos… I mean double digit plus typos! At first it became constantly annoying… and then eventually it left me feeling embarrassed for whoever edited this book. Secondly… for almost every single page in this book (except for one incident) Spencer constantly and I mean… CONSTANTLY… blames every single problem and shortcoming on other people! (AND I MEAN EVERYTHING!) Including his drug addiction and passing out and falling asleep in a Laker practice during a World Championship run… which got him suspended and released from the team. He will continue to blame the Lakers for almost every remaining chapter of the book. He accuses all his teammates on every team he played on for knifing him in the back… he blames all his coaches… all team management… and NBA commissioners and executives. One minute he continually says how great the love is from the people of Seattle then he blames them for him being traded out of the city. It is non-stop… and you find yourself yelling at the book… “Hey Spencer look in the mirror… today’s mirror… and the rear view mirror of life!” At a point in his life he seeks psychological help and then a few pages later he goes right back to his non-stop screeds blaming everyone under the sun but himself.
Along with the endless typos and his unrelenting “woe is me” repetitiveness… there are also major simply wrong information. One example is when he’s blaming all-time basketball winner and icon Bill Russell who coached him for a while in Seattle. After Seattle got rid of him… Haywood makes the following statement regarding Russell: “He could have did more. He could have did this.’ He always compared us to Boston. We ain’t no Celtics. Those are White boys. We Black guys. Why he give us the same playbook they got?” (Note: throughout the book Spencer’s verbiage makes untold English teachers cringe.)
Now let me state what the true historical fact was about Bill Russell who won more championships than any player in the history of basketball! BILL RUSSELL WAS PART OF THE FIRST ALL-BLACK-STARTING-LINEUP IN THE HISTORY OF THE NBA ON THE CELTICS!!
After Haywood’s playing career ended he tells the story of working with Senator and former Presidential candidate Jack Kemp. One problem there… Kemp was never a Senator he was in the House of Representatives. Then Spencer says: “With Jack Kemp and I being former athletes, the Hall of Fame football player and me being in the basketball arena”… ANOTHER PROBLEM THERE… JACK KEMP WAS NOT IN THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME.
One shining constant throughout the book was the wonderful and touching love between him and his hard working religious Mother Eunice… who always motivated her son. She refused to leave Mississippi even after Spencer made it big and wanted her to come live in his large new dwelling.
Along with all the shortcomings previously discussed… there are a couple of “Too Much Information” (TMI) scenarios such as… “Spencer said he did not have sexual intercourse with his prom date and graduated high school still a virgin.” Based on his M.O. … he probably blamed that on someone else also.
November 27, 2023
Quite disappointing. The story of Spencer Haywood himself is interesting, but this book is so poorly written. Countless typos aside, the format dooms the book from the start. It's basically a lengthy interview with Haywood, who is heavily quoted, with the bare minimum of context added by the authors. There are no outside perspectives other than that of Haywood, no interviews with anyone else to confirm or counter Haywood's point of view, and the interview itself is so disorganized, the quotes are often repetitive, or extremely odd with no context, or at other times just downright confusing as to what the hell Haywood is talking about. There are many mentions in the book about how others have benefited from the so-called Spencer Haywood Rule, which is likely true, but little to no effort is made to actually support that claim. And frankly, some of the Haywood's claims, such as that he built Detroit, need some serious checking. The first and only person I've ever heard say that Spencer Haywood built Detroit is Spencer Haywood. For a book meant to help rebuild Haywood's reputation in the annals of basketball history, this book really does him no favors.
January 11, 2021
Fun trip down memory lane of basketball during my formative years. No doubt that Haywood was a great basketball player by the achievements and honors he has received. What I can’t figure out is if that HUGE chip on his shoulder drove him to this success, or if it limited him to even greater achievements. There is a lot of blame on other people rather than any recognition of personal accountability. On a minor note, the book appears to have been rushed to market, since there are lots of missing words and misspellings - not very well edited.
March 29, 2023
Spencer Haywood is one of basketball’s greatest players and stories. He deserves adulation for his time on the basketball court and in the Supreme Court. But this book is so poorly written and so narrowly researched that it fails to provide the elegy Haywood deserves or the historical context that could illustrate Haywood’s perseverance and greatness.
January 10, 2021
Really disappointing. Poorly written (about 50 sentences start with Spencer in the first two chapters) and absent of insight. I don’t even know why Haywood was such a great basketball player; they really gloss over that.
November 8, 2020
A good book about redemption and how staying with what you are doing.
November 16, 2020
That's four hours of my life I'll never get back. . . .
April 8, 2025
Not a bad book, but there are inherent flaws in the "as told to" format. Everything flows through Hayward's eyes & the book suffers because of that. A well-sourced biography waits to be written.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews