Tuff Juice: My Journey from the Streets to the NBA

If America loves redeemed bad guys with skills, this blood-and-guts memoir by NBA basketball star Butler should satisfy that appetite for granting second chances. Supported by a glowing foreword by L.A. Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, the Racine, Wis. native shares his journey from the glittering night of the 2002 NBA Draft and his selection as the overall 10th pick by the Miami Heat to flashbacks of his youthful drug dealing, shootouts, numerous arrests, and harsh confinement. Butler puts family first with a strong, affirming narrative about his clan's Mississippi roots to his mother's unrelenting support and his sport mentors fighting for his dream of pro ball. An editorial decision sadly yields only a small portion of the book's content to Butler's 12-year pro basketball career culminating as a key player on Dallas Mavericks' championship team in 2011, opting to stress the glut of street outlaw chapters. While Butler's sports memoir suffers from this literary imbalance, it provides a bold, candid opportunity to appreciate a talented, complicated athlete. (Oct.)