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Tanking to the Top: The Philadelphia 76ers and the Most Audacious Process in the History of Professional Sports Hardcover – March 17, 2020
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When a group of private equity bigwigs purchased the Philadelphia 76ers in 2011, the team was both bad and boring. Attendance was down. So were ratings. The Sixers had an aging coach, an antiquated front office, and a group of players that could best be described as mediocre.
Enter Sam Hinkie—a man with a plan straight out of the PE playbook, one that violated professional sports' Golden Rule: You play to win the game. In Hinkie's view, the best way to reach first was to embrace becoming the worst—to sacrifice wins in the present in order to capture championships in the future. And to those dubious, Hinkie had a response: Trust The Process, and the results will follow.
The plan, dubbed "The Process," seems to have worked. More than six years after handing Hinkie the keys, the Sixers have transformed into one of the most exciting teams in the NBA. They've emerged as a championship contender with a roster full of stars, none bigger than Joel Embiid, a captivating seven-footer known for both brutalizing opponents on the court and taunting them off of it.
Beneath the surface, though, lies a different story, one of infighting, dueling egos, and competing agendas. Hinkie, pushed out less than three years into his reign by a demoralized owner, a jealous CEO, and an embarrassed NBA, was the first casualty of The Process. He'd be far from the last.
Drawing from interviews with nearly 175 people, Tanking to the Top brings to life the palace intrigue incited by Hinkie's proposal, taking readers into the boardroom where the Sixers laid out their plans, and onto the courts where those plans met reality. Full of uplifting, rags-to-riches stories, backroom dealings, mysterious injuries, and burner Twitter accounts, Tanking to the Top is the definitive, inside story of the Sixers' Process and a fun and lively behind-the-scenes look at one of America's most transgressive teams.
Including exclusive interviews with Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Coach Brett Brown, Sam Hinkie, and more.
- Print length304 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherGrand Central Publishing
- Publication dateMarch 17, 2020
- Dimensions6.25 x 1 x 9.25 inches
- ISBN-101538749726
- ISBN-13978-1538749722
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"[TANKING TO THE TOP] is teeming with palace intrigue...a rare journalistic experiment."―Los Angeles Review of Books
"The Philadelphia 76ers are nervous about you reading TANKING TO THE TOP -- with good reason. Yaron Weitzman digs deep into the core of the organization's famous (and infamous) "Process," showing the reader every high, low, success, failure, and, yes, wart. It's a gem of a book; a gift to basketball junkies fascinated by mechanisms of the NBA."―Jeff Pearlman, New York Times bestselling author of Gunslinger and Boys Will Be Boys
"Through exhaustive reporting, Yaron Weitzman expertly takes us on a thrill ride through perhaps the NBA's grandest and greatest experiment. The Process was Moneyball on steroids, and Weitzman is our nimble guide through all the drama inside of the board room and on the basketball court. It's the best NBA book in years."―Jonathan Abrams, New York Times bestselling author of All The Pieces Matter and Boys Among Men
"'The Process' was the boldest, brashest, diciest, most controversial roster-building exercise we've seen in the NBA. Sam Hinkie's gambit alarmed fans and outraged NBA executives -- and it worked. But the Sixers' rise from laughingstock to contender was so much more complex and layered than a two-word catch phrase. In TANKING TO THE TOP, Yaron Weitzman unearths new details and fresh insights, with an insider's expertise and a deft touch, providing the definitive account of this fascinating saga."―Howard Beck, senior NBA writer, The Bleacher Report
"There are layers to the brilliance of this book: The reporting is generally way deeper than what's come before. Much of the writing about "The Process" only muddies the waters, adds noise where we are desperate for signal. Here, for the first time, is an account that will confuse no one: Yes, this is what Sam Hinkie was trying to do; yes, it failed in some ways, and succeeded in others. The lucky readers of TANKING TO THE TOP will gain the insight to judge what was what. And finally, even with all of this new information to impart...it's still sexy and fun to read. How in the hell did he do that?"―Henry Abbott, founder and CEO, TrueHoop
"TANKING TO THE TOP is a must-read not just for 76ers fans, but for basketball nuts everywhere. It's an illuminating, thrilling, fun, page-turning account about one of basketball's most intriguing and innovative franchises. Weitzman's eye for detail separates him from every other NBA reporter out there today. He paints a new and vivid portrait of a franchise most think they already know everything about. His ability to uncover little gems that most reporters miss makes TANKING TO THE TOP a masterclass in sports storytelling. This book takes readers directly inside the locker room and meeting rooms, making the reader feel like he himself is on the court, figuring out how to navigate the dramatic, insane, thrilling, high-stakes nature of winning at all costs in the modern NBA."―p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 17.0px; font: 14.7px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; background-color: #ffffff}span.s1 {font-kerning: none}Mirin Fader, The Bleacher Report
"[A] dishy, punchy debut...Weitzman wildly entertains in this backroom NBA history."―Publishers Weekly
"Whether you thought The Process was brilliant or you despised it, you had to pay attention to it. The Sixers' approach to roster construction under Sam Hinkie was one of the NBA's most controversial experiments -- and it worked. Yaron Weitzman gives you the most detailed account of The Process to date, showing all of the successes, failures and everything in between in TANKING TO THE TOP, an expertly-reported look at the Sixers and the NBA as a whole. Weitzman's book provides fresh anecdotes and information about the comings and goings in Philadelphia to give you a greater understanding of one of the most audacious plans in the modern NBA."―Ian Begley, NBA insider, SNY
"An account replete with insider information of the ups and downs of 'The Process' and its architect. Readers interested in the business of basketball, and how it affects teams and players above all, will find this a must-read."―Library Journal
"TANKING TO THE TOP is a...very entertaining tick-tock of a unique episode in Philadelphia sports history."―Write Now Philly
"The jury is still out on the 76ers, but Weitzman offers a fascinating review of the tanking-to-the-top philosophy, including statistical analysis."―Booklist
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Grand Central Publishing; Illustrated edition (March 17, 2020)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 304 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1538749726
- ISBN-13 : 978-1538749722
- Item Weight : 1.12 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.25 x 1 x 9.25 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,078,313 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #392 in Sports Industry
- #939 in Sports Psychology (Books)
- #18,270 in U.S. State & Local History
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About the author
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Customers find the book a fantastic read, with well-written and entertaining content. They also appreciate the extremely thorough research quality.
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Customers find the book a fantastic read and entertaining.
"Such an entertaining book. Goes deep into the process. Highly recommended for everyone not just basketball or 76ers fans...." Read more
"This book is a good read, the chapter about Markelle Fultz is the best. I learned a lot about the culture of the team and the process...." Read more
"Was very interesting to readI recommend it to any sports fan out there!" Read more
"...The content is great though... highly recommend... perhaps the hardback printing was more consistent or try an e-reader" Read more
Customers find the writing style of the book very well written and entertaining.
"...Book was really well written to" Read more
"...Very well written and entertaining." Read more
"A must read for any fan of the NBA or sports in general. Really well written. Maybe the Knicks can learn a thing or two." Read more
"Really well written. Must read for any sports fan and anyone interested in the inner workings of a pro sports franchise." Read more
Customers find the research quality of the book extremely thorough and well written. They also appreciate the detail that provides good context.
"Such an entertaining book. Goes deep into the process. Highly recommended for everyone not just basketball or 76ers fans...." Read more
"...He does a great job giving general background and weaving together interviews, quotes, and other contemporaneous sources...." Read more
"...While most of it wasn’t new to me, there was some detail that provided good context. I absolutely LOVED this book.Trust the Process" Read more
"Well researched, well-written and a great read." Read more
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I recommend it to any sports fan out there!
If you like basketball, like Philly, or just want a compelling read, esp during the quarantine, order this book today!
Weitzman may be this generation's next great sportswriter. Can't wait for his next one!
The content is great though... highly recommend... perhaps the hardback printing was more consistent or try an e-reader
One must give credit to Weitzman for being able to put together a complete book when the main subject, the 76ers and their former general manager Sam Hinkle, refused to cooperate or allow Weitzman to interview personnel for the book. Nonetheless, he crafted a fun-to-read accounting of the team and how it went from the days of Allen Iverson to the current team led by Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.
Two slight criticisms I have about the book are minor, but should be noted. One is that Weitzman makes this strategy of "tanking" and stockpiling draft choices as something that was revolutionary, mainly because of the way that Hinkle and the team sold it. It really isn't anything new – in fact, that is how the Iverson-lead teams in the 2000's were built. The other one is how one measures that the Process is successful. If one believes that making it to the second round of the playoffs makes the Process worthwhile, then so be it but many would believe that only a championship can be the crowning achievement. An achievement the 76ers have yet to accomplish with its current players.
But those are minor compared the wonderfully entertaining stories about the people who played key roles in building this team. The main subject would certainly be Hinkle and some of the crazy situations in which he found himself. He also was a polarizing figure, with some saying he had no idea what he was doing, while others were so supportive of his methods that they would go to the NBA draft when the 76ers would have a high draft choice chanting "Process." Weitzman's descript of Hinkle's reign as the 76ers general manger was engaging, especially on the audio version. His narrative led credibility to his writing, something I usually find when listening to an audio book that is narrated by the author.
The great stories are not limited to Hinkle. The adventure of Joel Embiid from a middle-class life in Cameroon to the NBA is a fascinating adventure. The ups and downs of Jimmy Butler are also great, from his demands to leave Minnesota to his leadership in his one 76ers season to when he too was shown the exit door, leaving as a free agent to sign with the Miami Heat. Information on Ben Simmons is also very good. That was the best part of this book – the human stories behind the Process.
Overall, this book is best read by those who are not familiar with the history of the team or this "new" method of building the team as there isn't any new or groundbreaking material, mainly due to the limits mentioned earlier. But still a good read or listen.
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El último bloque, desde la salida de Hinkie, es bastante aburrido ya que se dedica a describir los detalles más básicos de las últimas 2 temporadas cubiertas en el libro.