New Book Tells Personal Stories Of Hoops And Gun Violence In Chicago

“All the Dreams We’ve Dreamed” by Rus Bradburd tells the personal story of former basketball player and coach Shawn Harrington. After returning as an assistant to Marshall High School in 2014, Harrington’s life changed dramatically when two men opened fire on his car as he was driving his daughter to school. Harrington was struck trying to shield her and left paralyzed.

His tale is one of many incidents of gun violence on Chicago’s West Side that have influenced people embedded in the hoops community. Bradburd’s book sheds light on this prominent issue, and also explores intertwined problems such as health care failure and corruption in sports. Order your copy here.

Bradburd is the author of three other books – “Make It, Take It,” “Forty Minutes of Hell,” and “Paddy on the Hardwood: A Journey In Irish Hoops” – and teaches writing classes at New Mexico State. He has been a regular contributor to SLAM and his essays have appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and several other publications.