God and Starbucks : An NBA Superstar's Journey Through Addiction and Recovery
Author(s): Vin Baker, Joe Layden
An astonishing memoir of redemption—the moving story of a former top NBA player who miraculously rebounded from a monumental fall thanks to hard work and his deep, transformative faith.
Sixteen years ago, Vin Baker was an NBA All-Star, an Olympic Gold medalist, and a multimillionaire. While he excelled on the court, Vin harbored a dark secret: a dependency on drugs and alcohol that began after the clean-cut preacher’s son turned pro. Eventually becoming a full-blown yet functional alcoholic, Vin convinced himself he played better under the influence—until his addiction cost him his basketball career, his fortune, and his health.
But Vin’s story isn’t a tragic fall from grace. It is a joyous tale of salvation. For Vin, hitting rock bottom was a difficult yet transformative experience that led him to renew his relationship with God and embrace life in a rich and fulfilling new way. Today the manager of a Starbucks and a youth minister, Vin has found more security and happiness in his ordinary working life than in all his years in the glamorous world of professional basketball.
God and Starbucks is a wise and unflinching look at the real dangers of addiction and the importance of taking charge of your life with meaning and purpose. It’s a powerful memoir about reaching the top and beginning again from the bottom—an inspiring personal tale of humility and grace that reminds us what is truly important in our lives.
Review(s):
“Vin Baker’s skills and abilities defined a generation of big men. While he was fighting incredible basketball players on the court, privately he was struggling with a far greater opponent in addiction. His honest and moving story will inspire change!”
“A wonderful book about God’s power to give do-overs while illuminating what is possible in our hour of darkness. Vin Baker’s engrossing story is a towering example of how salvation is found through faith and hard work.”
ISBN: 9780062496812