Boston Ball: The Forgotten Cradle of Basketball Coaches

Rick Pitino, Jim Calhoun, and Gary Williams played a pivotal role in shaping modern college basketball. Collectively, they have amassed over 2,300 victories, six national championships, and thirteen Final Four appearances, cementing their status as legends in the sport. All three coaches have been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, a testament to their enduring impact on the game.

These coaches each spent more than two decades on the national stage, becoming household names as college basketball and the annual March Madness tournament evolved into a multi-billion-dollar industry. Before Pitino became the face of the Providence, Kentucky, and Louisville programs, before Calhoun transformed UConn into a national powerhouse, and before Williams led Maryland to its first national championship, the trio honed their craft in front of modest-sized crowds in the crumbling college gymnasiums of Boston during the 1970s and early 1980s.

Boston Ball chronicles how this trio of coaches, seemingly out of nowhere, ignited a basketball revolution. Pitino at Boston University, Calhoun at Northeastern University, and Williams at Boston College, all toiled in relative obscurity, yet they collectively reinvigorated the "city game," a style of play defined by fast-breaking, up-tempo offense, relentless defense, and a focus on crashing the boards. These coaches were part of a fraternity of great minds, including Mike Jarvis, Kevin Mackey, and Tom Davis, who unknowingly pioneered the Boston Ball approach – a blend of old-school and new-school basketball philosophies that paved the way to the top of the college game.

The ample coaching opportunities in "America's College Town" allowed Pitino, Calhoun, and Williams to craft their respective blueprints for building winning programs and transform their schools into regional powers. These formative years in Boston served as springboards to their eventual big-time college basketball success.

Boston Ball is a tale of ambition, innovation, and the making of basketball legends. It's the story of how three young, ambitious coaches honed their craft in the shadow of the dynastic Celtics, and how the young players they recruited, developed, and coached played a crucial role in turning these teams into winners. The book offers a unique perspective on the evolution of college basketball, highlighting the lasting impact of a trio of coaches who revolutionized the game and left an indelible mark on the sport.

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