The Hoops Whisperer: On the Court and Inside the Heads of Basketball's Best Players

by Idan Ravin

Overview

Basketball’s most unlikely—and most sought-after—training guru offers an inside look at his career, his methods, and the all-star players whose games he’s helped transform.
 
Where do the best basketball players in the world turn when they want to improve their game? Whom does a future NBA Hall of Famer thank at his press conference when he’s named Rookie of the Year? Who is it that Sports Illustrated, The Wall Street Journal, and Men’s Journal all call the "Hoops Whisperer" because of his ability to engage, inspire, and challenge the players he trains? The answer to all of these questions is Idan Ravin.

Ravin never played or coached in college or the pros, yet a virtual NBA All-Star team relies on him to better their game and reach their full potential. A soft-spoken former lawyer, Ravin has become professional basketball’s hottest trainer.

In The Hoops Whisperer, Ravin shares the fascinating story of how he transformed a passion for the game into working with iconic basketball stars such as Chris Paul, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Stephen Curry, Blake Griffin, James Harden, Dwight Howard, and many more.  He offers a rare unguarded glimpse inside the lives of these great athletes, drawn from his intimate connection with them that is the basis of his success. 

Showcasing his unorthodox drills and improvisational techniques in action, Ravin reveals how faith, effort, dedication, and passion can make a player into a superstar—and anyone into a success. Combined with his own inspiring journey, Ravin’s insights make The Hoops Whisperer a must-read for anyone who loves the game.
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781592409372
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	05/05/2015
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	132,651
Product dimensions:	7.90(w) x 5.20(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Idan Ravin splits his time between Maryland, and New York City.

Table of Contents

Introduction Becoming Lamar Mundane 1

Chapter 1 The King and Pi 7

Chapter 2 Rituals 17

Chapter 3 Proverbs 10:4 34

Chapter 4 Breaking In 31

Chapter 5 Breaking Out 36

Chapter 6 Free Agent 40

Chapter 7 No Coincidences 43

Chapter 8 Breaking Through 51

Chapter 9 Making Varsity 61

Chapter 10 Training Days 68

Chapter 11 The Point 76

Chapter 12 The Real Carmelo 85

Chapter 13 Stack 95

Chapter 14 A Cry for Help 100

Chapter 15 The Legend of Kevin Durant 104

Chapter 16 Zero 110

Chapter 17 The Emperor 116

Chapter 18 Two Baskets 122

Chapter 19 Steph 134

Chapter 20 Mojo Lost and Found 140

Chapter 21 Amar'e in the Promised Land 151

Chapter 22 A Different Star 157

Chapter 23 Joy in the Streets 163

Chapter 24 Rollin' with the King 168

Chapter 25 Reborn 176

Chapter 26 Words of Wisdom 185

Chapter 27 Little Things 188

Chapter 28 From the Perimeter 193

Chapter 29 Coaches' Suite 201

Chapter 30 Fifteen Minutes 217

Chapter 31 Brand Ambassador 222

Chapter 32 The Work, Not the Job 227

Chapter 33 Out of the Shadows 237

Acknowledgments 243

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"I never imagined that when I first worked with Idan before my rookie year, our relationship would extend more than a decade. He has influenced me tremendously and I am very grateful for his loyalty, friendship, and guidance. He is passionate about everything he does and, while some may consider his methods unorthodox, the end results for me have been remarkable."
—Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks
 
"Idan inspired me to see my full potential, to become more than others had ever expected of me, and challenge myself to do more than I had even expected of myself.  He showed me the importance of resilience and determination; and to capitalize on all my opportunities I had coming out of school and even to this day. His challenge to never become 'regular' stuck with me and kept me fierce in my determination to be committed to who I am, what I stand for, and to leave my lasting fingerprints on the game I so dearly love."
—Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
 
"Idan believed in me when others didn't. He challenged me when others couldn't. He cheered for me when others stopped. He praised me when others wouldn't. He stood by me when others ran. He encouraged me to find my greatness, which I did and continue to find."
 —JR Smith, New York Knicks
 
"Idan is the first guy that I've worked with that brought something different to the workouts, who pushed me past my limits, who made me think of the game on a different level. He pushed me with his words, encouraged me and built my confidence as the days went on. Truly one of a kind and I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to learn from him."
 —Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
 
"Idan was the best trainer I've ever worked with. The drills that we did pushed me to and past the limit.  Working with Idan allowed me to fall in love with the game of basketball all over again. If you want to be great, go see Idan and it will change your life."
 —Dwight Howard, Houston Rockets
 

Editorial Reviews

"I never imagined that when I first worked with Idan before my rookie year, our relationship would extend more than a decade. He has influenced me tremendously and I am very grateful for his loyalty, friendship, and guidance. He is passionate about everything he does and, while some may consider his methods unorthodox, the end results for me have been remarkable."
—Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks
 
"Idan inspired me to see my full potential, to become more than others had ever expected of me, and challenge myself to do more than I had even expected of myself.  He showed me the importance of resilience and determination; and to capitalize on all my opportunities I had coming out of school and even to this day. His challenge to never become 'regular' stuck with me and kept me fierce in my determination to be committed to who I am, what I stand for, and to leave my lasting fingerprints on the game I so dearly love."
—Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
 
"Idan believed in me when others didn't. He challenged me when others couldn't. He cheered for me when others stopped. He praised me when others wouldn't. He stood by me when others ran. He encouraged me to find my greatness, which I did and continue to find."
 —JR Smith, New York Knicks
 
"Idan is the first guy that I've worked with that brought something different to the workouts, who pushed me past my limits, who made me think of the game on a different level. He pushed me with his words, encouraged me and built my confidence as the days went on. Truly one of a kind and I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to learn from him."
 —Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
 
"Idan was the best trainer I've ever worked with. The drills that we did pushed me to and past the limit.  Working with Idan allowed me to fall in love with the game of basketball all over again. If you want to be great, go see Idan and it will change your life."
 —Dwight Howard, Houston Rockets
 

From the Publisher

03/10/2014
As a trainer, Ravin has helped hone the skills of some of pro basketball’s biggest names, including LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. His arrival at this starry occupation was hardly glamorous. The product of a Conservative Jewish household, Ravin fell in love with basketball as a child and devised his own training regimen. Using that and his experience coaching youth basketball, he began training players while he pursued an unsatisfying law career. Year by year, despite no ties to the NBA hierarchy and a playing career that ended in high school, he attracted high-profile clients willing to pay for his personal, unorthodox training. The book’s caroming style—Ravin’s twisty path to his unique career, insights on working with clients, and inspirational asides—is galvanized by Ravin’s chummy directness and his practical observations: we can become so enamored of reaching a goal that we lose sight of an equally rewarding path; even if you win the genetic lottery, insistent hard work is required to get the most out of a passion. This is a self-help book for the basketball player, but Ravin’s commonsense approach elevates it well beyond gimmickry categorization. (May)

Publishers Weekly

06/01/2014
Ravin, a private trainer for NBA players, has written a moving book that is an intriguing mix of memoir, basketball instruction, and self-help. Impressively, for a first-time author with seemingly no ghost writer helping him, the author balances facts with emotion. The reader learns much about his training techniques and about basketball while also being inspired by his journey from bored lawyer to personal trainer for LeBron James, Chris Paul, and other stars. His compassion for all the players he works with comes across subtly and articulately in his writing. The word Zen comes to mind often while reading the book, as do the coaching styles and philosophies of Greg Popovitch and Phil Jackson—like Ravin they are notable in their approaches because they often let players figure their way out of difficulties rather than demand change immediately. It's no surprise that Ravin has encountered a lot of resistance from coaches because of what they consider to be his unorthodox methods. He details some of these confrontations, which ends up revealing a lot about how the coach-player relationship is structured, at least in the NBA. VERDICT This book should be of interest to all NBA fans. Readers of memoirs and nonreligious, inspirational stories may also find the account appealing.

Library Journal

2014-02-20
An unlikely inspirational book by the trainer for the NBA's biggest stars. Ravin became an athletic trainer without the seemingly requisite formal education or experience. Yet, solely through word of mouth from the league's biggest stars, he has built a career training elite athletes in their shared quest to improve their games and achieve their highest goals. Ravin didn't stay at his previous boring and soul-killing job; he created one based on the game he loved. Always an outsider, he remained mistrustful of organizations that would make him "sacrifice [his] identity or authenticity to try to blend into the environment." In devising his innovative training philosophy, the author figured if players could consistently handle "the complexity, intensity and pace of the workouts I dreamt up, then practice and games would feel like Oreos soaked in milk." Pampered NBA superstars fly him across the country and pay for the privilege of working out in empty practice gyms with no amenities, having their weaknesses exposed, and competing "under strenuous circumstances designed to fatigue, test and build." He earns their trust by creating an environment of collaboration and mutual respect based on accountability, honesty and positive reinforcement. Ravin's writing mimics the quick, staccato rhythms of the game. He shares his experiences in short, free-standing chapters that create a constant flow of his observations and beliefs. With characteristic modesty, the author might reject the idea he has written not only an insightful look at what motivates NBA players, but also an uplifting life guide. (Indeed, the words he repeats throughout are "intuition," "love" and "faith.") Ravin doesn't reinterpret such familiar aphorisms as "Do what you love" and "Follow your bliss"; rather, this book uniquely overlaps the genres of memoir, self-help, organizational psychology and philosophy. A sports book that will motivate readers to live a purposeful, authentic life.

Kirkus Reviews