Location

The Book Stall (811 Elm Street in Winnetka) welcomes authors Ben Kaplan and Danny Parkins on Wednesday, May 8 at 6:30 pm for a riveting discussion featuring their new book, Pipeline to the Pros! The sports analysists give an inside look at the improbable journeys of basketball's biggest names with small-college roots while exploring the history of small college athletics, the evolution of coaching in the NBA, and the hiring practices in the most competitive fields. These NBA coaches came from small alma maters, but their impact on the game, and the implications of their success, loom large. 
 
This event is free with registration. To register, please visit our website or CLICK HERE. 
 
More About the Book: Jeff Van Gundy. Brad Stevens. Frank Vogel. Mike Budenholzer. Tom Thibodeau. Sam Presti. Leon Rose. Before you knew his name, before he drafted your favorite player, before he guided your team to a championship, he had a playing career of his own at an NCAA Division III college. He didn’t play for fortune or fame, the NBA was out of reach, his games weren’t televised, and the stands were rarely full. He simply couldn’t give up the game of basketball, and that didn’t change after graduation when it was time to pick a career path.

For the first time in league history, NBA coaches and general managers are just as likely to have played Division III basketball as they are to have played in the NBA. While the number of former D3 players working in the NBA is higher than ever, small college alums have served in leadership positions since the league’s founding. They shaped the NBA into what it is today, playing integral roles in the Lakers’ initial success in Los Angeles, the inception of several expansion franchises, the creation of the popular All-Star Weekend dunk contest, the globalization of the league, and more.
 
More About the Authors: Ben Kaplan is an analytics executive in the sports and entertainment space. He is a former basketball player at Amherst College and has covered Division III basketball for D3Hoops.com.
 
Danny Parkins is the host of the Parkins & Spiegel Show, the afternoon drive program on Chicago’s 670 The Score, home of the Bulls and Cubs. Barrett Sports Media recently named Parkins’ show one of the top ten major market afternoon programs in the nation.