Description

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40 years of stunning basketball photography—both on the court and off—from one of the sports’ greatest document chroniclers

As one of the NBA’s premier photographers, Nathaniel S. Butler has shot it all. From iconic moments like Ray Allen’s corner three to intimate portraits of Bill Russell and the NBA50 and NBA75 teams to Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant and Steph Curry clinching championships, if it was a history-making basketball moment, Butler was there. Courtside: 40 Years of NBA Photography is a stunning photographic collection spanning the first four decades of Butler’s career, including the current draft class’s rookie season. With commentary from NBA legends across generations, including Patrick Ewing, Steph Curry, Jeremy Lin, and Victor Wembanyama, it is the insider look at the National Basketball Association and the man whose photographs have helped define its rise.

About the Author

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Nathaniel Butler, one of the founding members of NBA Photos, has been photographing and documenting basketball since 1984. From the early years of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird to Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Steph Curry, Butler has had a courtside seat for the best the NBA has had to offer. What started as developing black-and-white film during halftime at arenas across the country has grown to sharing real-time digital photos across the globe. For the past 40 years, Butler’s imagery of the sport has been on posters in childhood bedrooms and on trading cards treasured by collectors and is now shared with millions across the NBA’s various social media platforms. From portraits of the NBA’s legendary stars to buzzer-beating action, Butler’s work continues to be enjoyed by sports fans worldwide. Dave McMenamin is an NBA reporter, New York Times bestselling coauthor of Return of the King: LeBron James, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Greatest Comeback in NBA History, and contributor to several ESPN platforms, including ESPN.com, ESPN Radio, NBA Today, and SportsCenter. He is a three-time Professional Basketball Writers Association Blumenthal Memorial award winner and proud Syracuse University alumnus.Adam Silver was appointed NBA commissioner on Feb. 1, 2014. He presides over a global sports and media business built around five professional sports leagues: the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League, and Basketball Africa League. Silver was named Sports Business Journal’s Executive of the Decade and has been ranked No. 1 on the publication’s annual list of the 50 Most Influential People in Sports Business. He was also named to TIME’s 100 Most Influential People and Fortune’s World’s 50 Greatest Leaders. Patrick Ewing is a two-time inductee to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame for his individual career and for being a part of the 1992 US Olympic “Dream Team.” In seventeen NBA seasons, fifteen with the New York Knicks, Ewing was an eleven-time All-Star and a seven-time member of the All-NBA team. After being named Rookie of the Year in 1986, Ewing went on to amass more than 24,000 points and 11,000 rebounds in the pros, and his Knicks teams made two trips to the NBA Finals. He was named to the NBA’s 50th and 75th Anniversary All-Time Teams. Spike Lee is an Academy Award–winning director, producer, and screenwriter known for She‘s Gotta Have It, Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, and BlacKkKlansman, among many other films. He has also been nominated for four additional Academy Awards, won two British Academy Film Awards and two Emmy Awards, and was the recipient of an Academy Honorary Award for his achievements in film and his championing of independent filmmaking. 

Praise For…

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“If they shot it, he shot it! Nat Butler is, without a doubt, on the Mount Rushmore of NBA photographers. We are now blessed with all of the angles of a colorful past, thanks to Nat’s access and amazing talent.”
— Darren Rovell, sports collector and broadcaster

“A wonderful walk down memory lane with first-person coach and player quotes reminiscing about some of the greatest moments in NBA history. A must-have for every NBA fan!”
— Ahmad Rashad, broadcaster and recipient of the 2024 Curt Gowdy Media Award

“Images of your favorite player raising the Larry O’Brien Trophy or dunking on their longtime rival are what we remember long after a game has ended, the champagne stops flowing, and the smell of cigars fades from championship locker rooms. The lasting impact of Nat Butler’s photography is clear when you look at how many athletes today recreate the poses that he snapped, instants that would have faded from our collective memory had it not been for Butler’s click. Butler’s masterful eye has captured some of the sport’s biggest, most memorable moments. What a treat to see the NBA through his lens.”
— Malika Andrews, journalist, host of NBA Today and NBA Countdown, and Sports Emmy Award winner

“Nat Butler has spent a career bringing the NBA to life with his amazing pictures. He has captured some of the most iconic moments and legendary players with his extraordinary skill. But it’s his love of the game and the people who play it that comes shining through with each photograph. Looking at these spectacular photos brings back so many memories for me. Thank you, Nat!”
— Mike Breen, longtime NBA play-by-play and sports commentator and two-time Sports Emmy Award winner