In Three Ring Circus, Jeff Pearlman tells the story of one of the most fascinating and dysfunctional dynasties in sports history. He takes readers behind the scenes with Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and Phil Jackson as they battle for control of the Los Angeles Lakers during their tumultuous six-year run together. From feuds to championships, laced with outrageous egos and high drama basketball junkies will devour this riveting account of NBA royalty at its finestāand worst.
For who is this book for ?
Fans of the Lakers dynasty and basketball in general. This book is a great look inside the most tumultuous six years in Lakers history, told by one of the best sports writers out there. If you’re interested in what went on behind the scenes with Kobe, Shaq and Phil, then this is definitely for you.
Pros :
- This book is a great read if you’re interested in the Lakers dynasty of the early 2000s.
- Jeff Pearlman does a great job giving readers an inside look at what was going on behind the scenes with Kobe, Shaq, and Phil Jackson.
- The book is well written and provides plenty of interesting anecdotes about one of the most controversial dynasties in NBA history.
Cons :
- It’s poorly written.
- It focuses too much on petty disagreements and drama instead of the basketball games themselves.
- The author seems biased against Kobe Bryant and excessively sympathetic to Shaquille O’Neal.
Learn more about the author
Jeff Pearlman is a former senior writer for Sports Illustrated and the author of six books, including Gunslinger: The Mysterious Life of Brett Favre. He has also contributed to ESPN.com, Yahoo! Sports, and NFL.com.
Reader Reviews
“An exhaustively researched and masterfully written account of the Lakers’ turbulent but dynastic six-year run with Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and Phil Jackson.”
“A must read for Lakers fans and all basketball junkies. Pearlman does an excellent job of capturing the personalities of Kobe, Shaq, and Phil, as well as providing great detail on what went on behind the scenes during their dynasty run.”
“If you love the Lakers, or just sports in general, then you will love this book. Jeff Pearlman does an amazing job of taking you inside the locker room and giving us a look at what really went on during Kobe Bryant’s and Shaquille O’Neal’s time together.”
“Pearlman has a knack for getting people to talk. . . [He] brings readers into the Lakers locker room and onto the team plane, offering up plenty of interesting tidbits along the way.”