Forty Minutes of Hell : The Extraordinary Life of Nolan Richardson

Born in El Paso's Segundo Barrio, Nolan Richardson was the first black star for legendary basketball coach Don Haskins at Texas Western College. Rising to national prominence at the University of Arkansas, Richardson became the first black coach at a Southern school to win the NCAA Championship, playing an electrifying style dubbed "Forty Minutes of Hell." His outspoken response to perceived racial injustices culminated in Richardson's accusing his university of discrimination, bringing about an abrupt end to his college career. The only coach in history to win a Junior College, NIT, and NCAA title, Richardson now coaches in the WNBA.

Rus Bradburd, a former assistant coach under Don Haskins, highlights Richardson's trailblazing career with empathy and intimacy, revealing a man whose hard-won successes were matched by deeply felt losses. An inside look at the politics of race in college sports, "Forty Minutes of Hell" sets Richardson's complex story against the backdrop of a decisive time in American history. Less