Three-Ring Circus: Kobe, Shaq, Phil, and the Crazy Years of the Lakers Dynasty

The conventional wisdom about the great Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal Laker teams of the early 2000s goes like this: Shaq was content for basketball to be one of his many interests, while Kobe was solely focused basketball above anything else. They were a poor fit as teammates, and ultimately went their separate ways, dooming the dynasty. This is how I remembered it and I don’t think I’m unique. The Lakers were the first great team I knew as an NBA fan. While I have hazy memories of the second Bulls dynasty, I clearly recall the unstoppable force of the Shaq / Kobe Lakers clearly. After reading Three Ring Circus, I realize that my understanding of these teams, why they succeeded and fell apart was wrong. Shaq and Kobe weren’t too different to effectively coexist. Like a basketball episode of the Good Place, they were perfectly calibrated to torture each other. Three Ring Circus is the story of the Lakers championship teams from the early 2000s. Shaquille O’Neal, the star center. Phil Jackson, the wise coach, and of course, Kobe Bryant, the kid. The book tells the story of how they came together, dominated the league, and ultimately collapsed under the weight of their egos. It’s incredibly well sourced and a must-read for NBA fans. In a way, it acts as a sort of spiritual sequel to The Last Dance, picking the league up and some of the main characters where the documentary series left off. Because of the period it covers, it also serves as a biography of the first 26 years of Kobe Bryant’s life, from his childhood in Italy through his rape trial in Eagle, Colorado. While Shaq is the key to the team’s dominance on the court, Kobe is the key to understanding what was happening off the court and why this dominant team just couldn’t stay together. He is as arrogant and selfish as Shaq is out of shape, if not more so. If Shaq’s critical flaw is that he isn’t willing to put in the work in the off season to take care of his body and extend his prime, then Kobe’s critical flaw is that he would rather be the star of the team than work with Shaq to win. I entered the book thinking that Shaq and Kobe were too different to coexist for longer than they did. I left it thinking that they were too similar — ultimately both men only wanted to win on their own terms. For Shaq, this meant enjoying life off the court; for Kobe, this meant being the star of the show with the ball in his hands. Both men expected to be the center of attention in his own way. Unlike MJ and Scottie, they never could manage to get beyond it for the greater good of the team. The book’s greatest strength is the way that it tells this story for all of the characters that enter it. Del Harris is tactically brilliant, but unable to adapt his style to a new generation of players. Nick Van Excel has all the physical gifts, but he lets little slights from others convince him he’s unvalued. J.R. Rider has all the physical gifts, but can’t figure out the work habits of being a professional. The tension between one’s own strengths and flaws, the desire to do something special as a team and desire to shine as an individual are immensely relatable. It’s impossible to read this book and not think of Kobe Bryant’s untimely death and the eulogizing that happened afterwards, particularly from other athletes. Even before the alleged rape (which the book strongly suggests should’ve resulted in a conviction), Kobe comes off particularly poorly. While Shaq’s flaws are relatable, Kobe comes off as arrogant to the point of being delusional and cruel to those less talented than he is. The question hanging over the book is, “How did this kid who everyone hated become that guy everyone loved?” That it is never answered is the book’s greatest flaw. In the preface of the book, Pearlman tells the story of how the book was finished when Kobe’s shocking death happened. He goes out of his way to explain that who a person is from seventeen to twenty six isn’t the sum total of who they are to avoid the charge of speaking ill of the deceased. Answering the question of how and to what extent Kobe changed over the second half of his career would’ve led to a different book and it’s certainly certainly understandable why an author, having just completed a book as thoroughly researched as this one, wouldn’t be eager to start over. But as it is, the ending of the book feels incomplete, like it’s only part one. Despite this, I enjoyed the book immensely. Sign me up for a sequel.

To open this review… I feel it needs to be strongly stated… that you can’t rewrite history. This book is about the Los Angeles Lakers from 1996 thru 2004… which of course covers the “THREE-PEAT-LAKER-CHAMPIONSHIP-DYNASTY”! The author, Jeff Pearlman starts the book with a three page “Author’s Note”… that he wrote when finishing the book when he became aware of Kobe Bryant’s death. It comes across to me… as almost an apology for the hundreds of pages that follow… that among other things… describes AND documents in extreme microscopic detail… what an egotistical… pampered… unlike-able… terrible teammate… to say the least that Kobe was during most of the time period covered in this book. I feel that weak “attempt” to almost minimize those portions that engulf the reader in the next three-hundred-ninety pages… is the only weak spot in this tremendously researched and written book. I have been a die-hard Lakers Purple-and-Gold fan for over sixty-years… and had Lakers season tickets during the 2000-2001-2002 *THREE-PEAT-CHAMPIONSHIP-RUN*… and despite attempts by some to change the view in life’s rear view mirror… not all Lakers fans adored Bryant… and not all were fooled by his persona in front of a camera off the court… or out of the team bus. That stated… let’s get to the pages that follow the aforementioned three. This is the sixth book by Pearlman that I have read… and like the previous five… it’s fantastic. The detailed research and interviews… along with prose that can range from being Shakespeare-like… to beautiful four-letter-word straight- street- talk. Though many of the sagas have been told before by others… Pearlman adds updates and has the exquisite ability to tell them a little bit better. In addition to “SHAQ” and Kobe’s pre-Lakers life being explored… the author gives just enough background info on teammates such as Nick Van Exel… Samaki Walker… Rick Fox… Robert Horry… Glen Rice… Derek Fisher… J.R. Rider… Dennis Rodman… and many more… so the reader has a thumb- nail understanding… of why each of these players reacts the way they did to teammates and others. Of course coaches such as the legendary Phil Jackson and the less than legendary Del Harris are a big part of the tale. In fact on a personal level… I was so glad to see how in depth Pearlman went in Del Harris minutiae… especially his long-long-long-long-long-long-long-long-long-endless-factual-but-boring-boring-talks. He drove the modern players into a combination of a coma and rebellion. The reason I was so glad… was my basketball buddies and I couldn’t stand a five-minute interview with Harris whom we nicknamed **YE -OLDE –SCHOOL- MARM**! Everything of any importance… positive… negative… or influential… on or off the court during this period is faithfully reported... Including Kobe’s arrest for rape. Perhaps the most enjoyable tidbits in the book are all the ubiquitous quotes from even the most lackluster players. One of my favorites was regarding the physical dominance displayed by “SHAQ” as he entered the NBA and shook it by its very core. Former Orlando Magic teammate and backup center Greg Kite stated as ““SHAQ”’s first four seasons with the Magic produced the following results… four All-Star selections… 27.2 points per game… 12.5 rebounds… and 2.8 blocks per game. “WHEN HE’D GO UP AND DUNK, IT REMINDED ME OF A CHRISTMAS TREE, WITH DEFENDERS HANGING OFF OF HIM LIKE ORNAMENTS… OR THEY WERE THE BOWLING PINS, AND HE WAS AN ENORMOUS 300-POUND BALL. I’D NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT.” My favorite sportswriter of all-time… was the late Jim Murray. Murray could educate you in one sentence… make you laugh in the next sentence… and make you cry in the next sentence. He is on the top of my Mount Olympus of sportswriters. Pearlman has many of the same qualities. He’s not up on top of Olympus with Murray… but he’s close enough on the side of the mountain where he can see Murray’s feet. I’m already yearning for Jeff’s next book.

I am a lifelong Lakers' fan who was regularly glued to my TV during the era covered in this book (1996-2004). Accordingly, I could barely put it down, as the author effortlessly and compellingly relays fascinating and gossipy anecdote after anecdote and does a remarkable job of conveying the drama of some of the Shaq-Kobe Lakers' rise and fall and their biggest games (just reading about the Lakers' game 7 win over Portland in the 2000 Western Finals required me to watch the game again on YouTube). Pearlman is a seriously good writer and, not accidentally, is exceptionally attentive and thoughtful. That said, a few things were off for me. The first is that the quotes he relays often have a similar tone and style, regardless of all the different personalities providing them (which reminded me a bit of reading "Motley Crue's" "autobiographical" The Dirt). Did the respondents email their answers? Were they provided by their agents or other representatives? Are they being paraphrased from memory? If not, why is it that JR Ryder sounds a bit like Phil Jackson who sounds like Rick Fox who sounds like Shaq who sounds like nearly everyone else? Maybe it's just me. My second issue is that while Pearlman has a critical eye, he's at times selective in where he focuses it (and doesn't focus it). He mocks Shaq's and Kobe's feud -- which was played out through reporters -- as "childish" while not meaningfully addressing the media's role in enabling (and profiting from) that feud (doing so would arguably require criticizing some of his own colleagues and buddies, who he otherwise plugs). He beats up on Kobe, arguably deservedly, and he does, to be sure, address the notorious and likely rigged officiating in the Lakers-Kings 2002 series. But he doesn't mention the also terrible officiating that in part gifted the Lakers that Game 7 victory over Portland (Sabonis absolutely locked down Shaq and the Lakers only took control of the game after Sabonis was ejected via some absurdly called fouls). There's a deeper story here concerning the league's corruption and the Lakers' being the beneficiary of it, although that might be another book. As far as fulfilling his task of recounting the drama and intrigue of an immensely talented but troubled team's historic run, he does an excellent job.

This book reminded me exactly why I never liked Kobe. Its hundreds of pages of what a jerk this guy was for 40 years. And why I like Shaq.

This was a true page turner. That encapsulated the chaos and the greatness of the Shaq and Kobe Lakers. It tells a great larger than life story of an established star and an up and coming young hot shot destined for greatness.

Three Ring Circus Kobe, Shaq, Phil, and the Crazy Years of the Lakers Dynasty is another one of Jeff Pearlman’s gossipy, tabloid type books. The subject of this book is the Kobe-Shaq Lakers Dynasty of the early 2000s. Add in legendary coach Phil Jackson and you have three figures who all believed that they were the core piece of the dynasty, and you can definitely build a case that the three of them needed each other to win the titles they won. Listening to Pearlman’s book though, one wonders how they did it without throwing hands. As usual with Pearlman books, the action on the court is secondary to the behind-the-scenes stuff. We have Shaq-the gregarious fun loving larger than life character vs. Kobe-a man who eat, breathed, and slept the game of basketball. With Phil, being the Zen guy in the middle. Shaq often comes across as too much of a hot dog. Kobe too immature for the role he seems to want to push himself into and a cast of ever evolving characters that just seem to be standing around wondering what circus they had gotten involved in. The best stories in this book involve the role players far down the depth chart like Samari Walker and Thomas Penworthy among others, who are seemingly just along for the ride. Reading Jeff Pearlman’s work is like the sports page meets tabloid crash television and I love it! The ultimate lesson of Pearlman usually amounts to: behind every seemingly great team reigns absolute chaos.

What a blast into some formative years. I remember that Eddie Jones trade and the drama. This was pure joy and fun for this basketball and recovering Lakers fan. If you like the sport, and are curious about Kobe the basketball player, this is a must read.

Have read many many sports books .. this is right up there as being one of the best reads ..

This is a well written book about the Lakers championship teams with Phil Jackson, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O’Neal as the centerpiece the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. The book really is about Kobe though and his narcissistic desire to be the man, shoot the ball all he wants regardless of the impact on the game, and pretty much how his teammates hated him because of his self-centeredness, me first not team first behavior. There really isn’t anything that revealing or new here. A few incidents here and there are probably new but there are no breathtaking revelations, as Phil Jackson already wrote a book about the team’s dysfunction and it has been well reported on, ad nauseum, in the media. I enjoyed the book but I was disturbed by one thing, it was very one sided and anti-Kobe. In most cases this seems fair as his behaviors and incidents with teammates, family and friends are pretty well documented. The part that disturbed me most was the reporting on the incident in Colorado. Everything reported here makes Kobe look like a complete liar, and maybe he is, but there is more to the story. The more to the story doesn’t exonerated Kobe by any means, but it raises questions about the unfortunate victim and her story. Roland Lazenby does a much better job of laying out the facts in a very neutral manner, including facts that could be construed to give Kobe’s story of the incident more credibility. None of that is reported here, it was unrealistically one-sided making the book seem more like a smear campaign. Again, I am not saying Kobe should have gone to jail for what he did, it just bothers me the entire story is not told just the pieces that put Kobe in the worst light. For that I have downgrade the book a bit.

I recommend reading Jeff Pearlman books to any sports fan that knows athletes are not superheroes. He helps us remember the good times of watching dynasties and legends unfold. He chronicles the issues that most times leads to their downfalls. We remember Kobe and Shaw winning, but most forget the daily gossip on all sports tv and radio.

The conventional wisdom about the great Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal Laker teams of the early 2000s goes like this: Shaq was content for basketball to be one of his many interests, while Kobe was solely focused basketball above anything else. They were a poor fit as teammates, and ultimately went their separate ways, dooming the dynasty. This is how I remembered it and I don’t think I’m unique. The Lakers were the first great team I knew as an NBA fan. While I have hazy memories of the second Bulls dynasty, I clearly recall the unstoppable force of the Shaq / Kobe Lakers clearly. After reading Three Ring Circus, I realize that my understanding of these teams, why they succeeded and fell apart was wrong. Shaq and Kobe weren’t too different to effectively coexist. Like a basketball episode of the Good Place, they were perfectly calibrated to torture each other. Three Ring Circus is the story of the Lakers championship teams from the early 2000s. Shaquille O’Neal, the star center. Phil Jackson, the wise coach, and of course, Kobe Bryant, the kid. The book tells the story of how they came together, dominated the league, and ultimately collapsed under the weight of their egos. It’s incredibly well sourced and a must-read for NBA fans. In a way, it acts as a sort of spiritual sequel to The Last Dance, picking the league up and some of the main characters where the documentary series left off. Because of the period it covers, it also serves as a biography of the first 26 years of Kobe Bryant’s life, from his childhood in Italy through his rape trial in Eagle, Colorado. While Shaq is the key to the team’s dominance on the court, Kobe is the key to understanding what was happening off the court and why this dominant team just couldn’t stay together. He is as arrogant and selfish as Shaq is out of shape, if not more so. If Shaq’s critical flaw is that he isn’t willing to put in the work in the off season to take care of his body and extend his prime, then Kobe’s critical flaw is that he would rather be the star of the team than work with Shaq to win. I entered the book thinking that Shaq and Kobe were too different to coexist for longer than they did. I left it thinking that they were too similar — ultimately both men only wanted to win on their own terms. For Shaq, this meant enjoying life off the court; for Kobe, this meant being the star of the show with the ball in his hands. Both men expected to be the center of attention in his own way. Unlike MJ and Scottie, they never could manage to get beyond it for the greater good of the team. The book’s greatest strength is the way that it tells this story for all of the characters that enter it. Del Harris is tactically brilliant, but unable to adapt his style to a new generation of players. Nick Van Excel has all the physical gifts, but he lets little slights from others convince him he’s unvalued. J.R. Rider has all the physical gifts, but can’t figure out the work habits of being a professional. The tension between one’s own strengths and flaws, the desire to do something special as a team and desire to shine as an individual are immensely relatable. It’s impossible to read this book and not think of Kobe Bryant’s untimely death and the eulogizing that happened afterwards, particularly from other athletes. Even before the alleged rape (which the book strongly suggests should’ve resulted in a conviction), Kobe comes off particularly poorly. While Shaq’s flaws are relatable, Kobe comes off as arrogant to the point of being delusional and cruel to those less talented than he is. The question hanging over the book is, “How did this kid who everyone hated become that guy everyone loved?” That it is never answered is the book’s greatest flaw. In the preface of the book, Pearlman tells the story of how the book was finished when Kobe’s shocking death happened. He goes out of his way to explain that who a person is from seventeen to twenty six isn’t the sum total of who they are to avoid the charge of speaking ill of the deceased. Answering the question of how and to what extent Kobe changed over the second half of his career would’ve led to a different book and it’s certainly certainly understandable why an author, having just completed a book as thoroughly researched as this one, wouldn’t be eager to start over. But as it is, the ending of the book feels incomplete, like it’s only part one. Despite this, I enjoyed the book immensely. Sign me up for a sequel.

To open this review… I feel it needs to be strongly stated… that you can’t rewrite history. This book is about the Los Angeles Lakers from 1996 thru 2004… which of course covers the “THREE-PEAT-LAKER-CHAMPIONSHIP-DYNASTY”! The author, Jeff Pearlman starts the book with a three page “Author’s Note”… that he wrote when finishing the book when he became aware of Kobe Bryant’s death. It comes across to me… as almost an apology for the hundreds of pages that follow… that among other things… describes AND documents in extreme microscopic detail… what an egotistical… pampered… unlike-able… terrible teammate… to say the least that Kobe was during most of the time period covered in this book. I feel that weak “attempt” to almost minimize those portions that engulf the reader in the next three-hundred-ninety pages… is the only weak spot in this tremendously researched and written book. I have been a die-hard Lakers Purple-and-Gold fan for over sixty-years… and had Lakers season tickets during the 2000-2001-2002 *THREE-PEAT-CHAMPIONSHIP-RUN*… and despite attempts by some to change the view in life’s rear view mirror… not all Lakers fans adored Bryant… and not all were fooled by his persona in front of a camera off the court… or out of the team bus. That stated… let’s get to the pages that follow the aforementioned three. This is the sixth book by Pearlman that I have read… and like the previous five… it’s fantastic. The detailed research and interviews… along with prose that can range from being Shakespeare-like… to beautiful four-letter-word straight- street- talk. Though many of the sagas have been told before by others… Pearlman adds updates and has the exquisite ability to tell them a little bit better. In addition to “SHAQ” and Kobe’s pre-Lakers life being explored… the author gives just enough background info on teammates such as Nick Van Exel… Samaki Walker… Rick Fox… Robert Horry… Glen Rice… Derek Fisher… J.R. Rider… Dennis Rodman… and many more… so the reader has a thumb- nail understanding… of why each of these players reacts the way they did to teammates and others. Of course coaches such as the legendary Phil Jackson and the less than legendary Del Harris are a big part of the tale. In fact on a personal level… I was so glad to see how in depth Pearlman went in Del Harris minutiae… especially his long-long-long-long-long-long-long-long-long-endless-factual-but-boring-boring-talks. He drove the modern players into a combination of a coma and rebellion. The reason I was so glad… was my basketball buddies and I couldn’t stand a five-minute interview with Harris whom we nicknamed **YE -OLDE –SCHOOL- MARM**! Everything of any importance… positive… negative… or influential… on or off the court during this period is faithfully reported... Including Kobe’s arrest for rape. Perhaps the most enjoyable tidbits in the book are all the ubiquitous quotes from even the most lackluster players. One of my favorites was regarding the physical dominance displayed by “SHAQ” as he entered the NBA and shook it by its very core. Former Orlando Magic teammate and backup center Greg Kite stated as ““SHAQ”’s first four seasons with the Magic produced the following results… four All-Star selections… 27.2 points per game… 12.5 rebounds… and 2.8 blocks per game. “WHEN HE’D GO UP AND DUNK, IT REMINDED ME OF A CHRISTMAS TREE, WITH DEFENDERS HANGING OFF OF HIM LIKE ORNAMENTS… OR THEY WERE THE BOWLING PINS, AND HE WAS AN ENORMOUS 300-POUND BALL. I’D NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT.” My favorite sportswriter of all-time… was the late Jim Murray. Murray could educate you in one sentence… make you laugh in the next sentence… and make you cry in the next sentence. He is on the top of my Mount Olympus of sportswriters. Pearlman has many of the same qualities. He’s not up on top of Olympus with Murray… but he’s close enough on the side of the mountain where he can see Murray’s feet. I’m already yearning for Jeff’s next book.

I am a lifelong Lakers' fan who was regularly glued to my TV during the era covered in this book (1996-2004). Accordingly, I could barely put it down, as the author effortlessly and compellingly relays fascinating and gossipy anecdote after anecdote and does a remarkable job of conveying the drama of some of the Shaq-Kobe Lakers' rise and fall and their biggest games (just reading about the Lakers' game 7 win over Portland in the 2000 Western Finals required me to watch the game again on YouTube). Pearlman is a seriously good writer and, not accidentally, is exceptionally attentive and thoughtful. That said, a few things were off for me. The first is that the quotes he relays often have a similar tone and style, regardless of all the different personalities providing them (which reminded me a bit of reading "Motley Crue's" "autobiographical" The Dirt). Did the respondents email their answers? Were they provided by their agents or other representatives? Are they being paraphrased from memory? If not, why is it that JR Ryder sounds a bit like Phil Jackson who sounds like Rick Fox who sounds like Shaq who sounds like nearly everyone else? Maybe it's just me. My second issue is that while Pearlman has a critical eye, he's at times selective in where he focuses it (and doesn't focus it). He mocks Shaq's and Kobe's feud -- which was played out through reporters -- as "childish" while not meaningfully addressing the media's role in enabling (and profiting from) that feud (doing so would arguably require criticizing some of his own colleagues and buddies, who he otherwise plugs). He beats up on Kobe, arguably deservedly, and he does, to be sure, address the notorious and likely rigged officiating in the Lakers-Kings 2002 series. But he doesn't mention the also terrible officiating that in part gifted the Lakers that Game 7 victory over Portland (Sabonis absolutely locked down Shaq and the Lakers only took control of the game after Sabonis was ejected via some absurdly called fouls). There's a deeper story here concerning the league's corruption and the Lakers' being the beneficiary of it, although that might be another book. As far as fulfilling his task of recounting the drama and intrigue of an immensely talented but troubled team's historic run, he does an excellent job.

This book reminded me exactly why I never liked Kobe. Its hundreds of pages of what a jerk this guy was for 40 years. And why I like Shaq.

This was a true page turner. That encapsulated the chaos and the greatness of the Shaq and Kobe Lakers. It tells a great larger than life story of an established star and an up and coming young hot shot destined for greatness.

Three Ring Circus Kobe, Shaq, Phil, and the Crazy Years of the Lakers Dynasty is another one of Jeff Pearlman’s gossipy, tabloid type books. The subject of this book is the Kobe-Shaq Lakers Dynasty of the early 2000s. Add in legendary coach Phil Jackson and you have three figures who all believed that they were the core piece of the dynasty, and you can definitely build a case that the three of them needed each other to win the titles they won. Listening to Pearlman’s book though, one wonders how they did it without throwing hands. As usual with Pearlman books, the action on the court is secondary to the behind-the-scenes stuff. We have Shaq-the gregarious fun loving larger than life character vs. Kobe-a man who eat, breathed, and slept the game of basketball. With Phil, being the Zen guy in the middle. Shaq often comes across as too much of a hot dog. Kobe too immature for the role he seems to want to push himself into and a cast of ever evolving characters that just seem to be standing around wondering what circus they had gotten involved in. The best stories in this book involve the role players far down the depth chart like Samari Walker and Thomas Penworthy among others, who are seemingly just along for the ride. Reading Jeff Pearlman’s work is like the sports page meets tabloid crash television and I love it! The ultimate lesson of Pearlman usually amounts to: behind every seemingly great team reigns absolute chaos.

What a blast into some formative years. I remember that Eddie Jones trade and the drama. This was pure joy and fun for this basketball and recovering Lakers fan. If you like the sport, and are curious about Kobe the basketball player, this is a must read.

Have read many many sports books .. this is right up there as being one of the best reads ..

This is a well written book about the Lakers championship teams with Phil Jackson, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O’Neal as the centerpiece the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. The book really is about Kobe though and his narcissistic desire to be the man, shoot the ball all he wants regardless of the impact on the game, and pretty much how his teammates hated him because of his self-centeredness, me first not team first behavior. There really isn’t anything that revealing or new here. A few incidents here and there are probably new but there are no breathtaking revelations, as Phil Jackson already wrote a book about the team’s dysfunction and it has been well reported on, ad nauseum, in the media. I enjoyed the book but I was disturbed by one thing, it was very one sided and anti-Kobe. In most cases this seems fair as his behaviors and incidents with teammates, family and friends are pretty well documented. The part that disturbed me most was the reporting on the incident in Colorado. Everything reported here makes Kobe look like a complete liar, and maybe he is, but there is more to the story. The more to the story doesn’t exonerated Kobe by any means, but it raises questions about the unfortunate victim and her story. Roland Lazenby does a much better job of laying out the facts in a very neutral manner, including facts that could be construed to give Kobe’s story of the incident more credibility. None of that is reported here, it was unrealistically one-sided making the book seem more like a smear campaign. Again, I am not saying Kobe should have gone to jail for what he did, it just bothers me the entire story is not told just the pieces that put Kobe in the worst light. For that I have downgrade the book a bit.

I recommend reading Jeff Pearlman books to any sports fan that knows athletes are not superheroes. He helps us remember the good times of watching dynasties and legends unfold. He chronicles the issues that most times leads to their downfalls. We remember Kobe and Shaw winning, but most forget the daily gossip on all sports tv and radio.

A fascinating look behind the scenes of the Lakers during their historic run. A good read for any fan of the NBA.

Jeff Pearlman's "Three Ring Circus" about the Kobe-Shaq Lakers (1996-2004) is a well researched, well written, entertaining read unfortunately marred by unrelenting Kobe hate. I very much enjoyed Pearlman's terrifically researched and well written book and I learned a lot of things I didn't know. I was a young man just out of college working my first job in LA from 2000-2002 when the Kobe-Shaq Lakers 3-peated. I vividly remember many of the moments recounted in the book like the 7-game 2002 Western Conference Finals versus the Sacramento Kings and the 2004 NBA Finals versus the underdog Detroit Pistons. It was a team for the ages and Pearlman does justice to the epic story lines and battles on and off the court. However, the book is marred by Pearlman's unrelenting Kobe hate. I can't recall one good thing Pearlman has to say about Kobe in the entire book. Indeed, Pearlman goes so far to imply that Kobe was guilty of rape in the Colorado case despite the fact that Kobe was acquitted and nobody knows what actually happened in that room on June 30, 2003. He also argues that Kobe was universally hated by his teammates. The bias and lack of objectivity in regards to Kobe is glaring. If you exclude the Kobe hate, the book is 5 stars. However, Kobe takes up the most space in the book so you can't ignore what Pearlman writes about him in evaluating it. As a result, I can only give the book 3 stars. Kobe fans will have to wait for the definitive biography of the greatest Laker of all time.

I got this for my husband for his birthday last year. He loves the Lakers so much! I think he read this entire book in about a week - so I definitely recommend it!

Hey ladies & gents! If your a fan of NBA basketball and sports drama then let me tell you, you are gonna love this!! So I started following the NBA around 04 the when the Lakers dynasty was crumbling, and I’ve heard stories on how Shaq and Kobe didn’t like each other during there run together but the woah! The way Jeff Pearlman writes I can feel the tension from the words on the page…if that makes any sense. Trust me this is a must read! And if your a Kobe fan you’re definitely gonna feel some kinda way about the way he carried himself during those years with the Lakers.

Bought this for husband as a follow up for “Showtime” by same author - great read.

The Pros: The book is beautifully written and expertly researched. I think every basketball fan has at least a vague understanding of the dynamic of the 1996-2004 Lakers, but lesser known characters are brought to the forefront and add color and context to the story. The Cons: This books is as anti-Kobe Bryant as it can get. So much so that the foreword reads to me as a last minute piece of damage control following Bryant's passing to at least mitigate some of the vitriol that would come the author's way. While Shaq and Phil's issues are touched on, barely a page goes by without "arrogant" "selfish" and some more R-Rated synonyms of the same being applied to Kobe, with "rapist" joining the party in the later half of the book. His triumphs are glossed over, any positive mythology is debunked, and he is clearly positioned as the villain of the story (and looks to be the only significant figure not interviewed for the book). This is not a coming of age story; it's a crucifixion.

After reading Showtime and Gunslinger, Jeff Pearlman had me excited for the next story he was planning on covering, and finding out it was going to be the Shaq-Kobe Lakers had me giddy with excitement. It’s safe to say that Three Ring Circus, is another great biography from Jeff, and it’s filled with small tidbits of information and stories that have never seen the light of day or were ever thought of being covered. Learning about Kobe and Shaq’s rivalry from the time period was fascinating, although I do find Jeff’s characterization of Kobe Bryant’s rape case to be a tad suspect, it was a pretty good read. I wouldn’t say it’s unbiased, but it does keep the facts as they are, even with some colorful commentary.

As he always does, Jeff Pearlman reported the hell out of this great book, a deep dive into the 1996-2004 Los Angeles Lakers dynasty. All the big names are here, including an egotistical, widely-disliked by teammates Kobe Bryant, larger than life in every way Shaquille O'Neal, who often couldn't stand Kobe, and Phil Jackson, the "Zen Master" who had to get two massive egos to co-exist. But as always with Jeff's books, it's the role players, the extras, who provide the meatiest material. Read about Samaki Walker nearly punching Kobe in the face, and Mark Madsen's unique perspective from the bench. And the chapter detailing Kobe's questioning by Colorado police immediately after an allegation of rape was made is as good as anything Jeff has ever written. This is a championship-quality biography of a team that won three titles, but could've won so many more.

Pearlman nailed it again! He's the best in the business at writing books about memorable teams and Three Ring Circus is no exception. He provides a wide range of perspectives on the Lakers of the late 90s and early 00s, based on interviews with Shaq and Phil as well journeymen who didn't make it past training camp. The stories about Shaq and Kobe are fascinating. The book provides a devastating portrayal of Kobe. It wasn't a hit job, Pearlman simply went where the reporting took him. It's important to note that Kobe was 17-25 years old in the period covered in the book and was a different man by the time he died at age 41. I can't imagine being under the spotlight as a superstar and champion in Los Angeles at age 21.

How the Lakers organization, surrounded Shaq & Kobe with "mature" veteran players that could both ball, and play school guidance counselor is absolutely fascinating. I have read my fair share of books on Phil, Kobe and Shaq, and nobody ever deconstructed the team dynamics for me quite the way Pearlman has here. We also forget how insufferable young Kobe was back in the early days. Pearlman's reporting on the whole Kobe/ Eagle Colorado assault allegations is grade A++ reporting. For me to recant those dark days for Kobe and the Lakers, I'd have to syphon through so many articles over the course of hours to get it summed up in one chapter the way Pearlman did. Fantastic book for any and all NBA Fans

It's interesting to have watched Shaq and Kobe's careers unfold from the beginning. It's really unfortunate this all took place because of egos and personality conflict. I knew of Kobe's arrogance but this just takes it to another level. Who would've thought those Laker's endured so much self-inflicted pain. It's not unbelievable because it happens everyday in organizations, but I would've never guessed in all the years watching that there was this much strife. This was good timing for the book to come out as well, I have greater appreciation for that era of basketball and it brought back those same fond feelings I had when I loved the game. We need bring that NBA back!!! Author did a great job!

The author does another fabulous job researching a team. This time focusing on the Shaq-Kobe-Phil Lakers. He does a great job going over the state of the team before the threesome join. He then takes an in-depth look at the Shaq-Kobe Lakers and all the craziness... as always the writing had me laughing out loud. Highly recommend for any NBA fan

Good stuff in here from one of the best duos and teams of all time in NBA history! Check it out!

As detailed and meticulous with his research as ever before, and with his unmatched dry wit and sense of humor to boot, Jeff Pearlman has written another sports masterpiece. Exploring the historic triumphs and trials (literally) of the Shaq-Kobe dynasty, Pearlman involves the entire Lakers organization during the duo’s reign as teammates in Los Angeles. No player who suited up in a Laker uniform between 1996 and 2005 appear to have been forgotten by Pearlman, and he makes their stories and insights often equally fascinating. This is a book every Lakers fan will enjoy and want to keep on their shelves!

I haven't been a Lakers fan since the days of Baylor and West, especially the Shaq - Kobe version. But this is a tremendous book that can be enjoyed by even Lakers haters.

I'm 2 months older than Kobe so I remember all of these times very well. Love the story telling in the typical Pearlman funny, engaging style and learned so much about these figures. I'm glad it was written before Kobe's passing so it could give an unvarnished look at the Top 20 All-Time NBA player. Got a kick out of the mini-biographies of those obscure "I-kinda-remember-him" players. Highly recommended read!!

Jeff Pearlman is the quintessential sports writer for this century. His sound voice resonates as he is telling us how it went down. Jeff has the reader become a fly on the wall, observing through hundreds of eyes as the Lakers marched through the league. The truth always comes out. And when it does, you want Jeff Pearlman there to break it down. This is my favorite of Pearlman’s books, all of them are great but this is my favorite. It’s a must have book for any Laker fan.

Jeff Pearlman is one of my favorite authors, he does a good job of intricate detailed back stories that we’ve never heard of. The attend to detail and the stories of guys you’ve never heard of on rosters and teams is amazing. We know about the big name players, but to get stories on practice players from mid majors on what they thought about Kobe and Shaq is genius. All his books are like that, finished boys will be boys and it’s just the best stuff to read. Really talented writer

Lots of Kobe bashing, like straight Kobe bash fest. The author makes a huge effort to really hammer in Kobe’s individualistic flaws, however, he glosses over his extensive achievements as one of the best basketball players alive at the time. Still a good read with an in depth look at the 1996-2004 lakers, hence the 4 stars.

Great book. Hard to believe it’s true, and hard to believe these guys didn’t kill each other in the process of winning championships.

I've read several of Jeff Pearlman's books and they're always great. This one is no exception. Even if you're not a die-hard Lakers fan, this one is a great read for any NBA fan of that era of basketball. Jeff interviewed everyone he could possibly find for this book and it shows in the in-depth, behind the scenes stories he uncovered. I'd highly recommend it if you're a sports fan.

The depth of Jeff pearlman's research knows no bounds. The littlest detail is always known and made to be a key moment in his books, Three-Ring Circus is no different. All of the details build to a great book that will leave the N NBA wondering how they lost to three very unhappy people. Unfortunately, when you do your research, peoples feelings get hurt. Kobe, Shaq and Phil have their flaws exposed and it all leads to a great read.

I have read the first 100 pages or so and it is a fun, informative, well written ride. I am enjoying it immensely. I have loved the Lakers since I knew what basketball was, and the flaws mentioned so far only enhances my love. Kobe, Shaq, the Logo, Phil, and all of the rest are human. As such, I never thought they were anything but flawed. I recommend this book to anyone who loves sports and fun reads.

love book. love team especially this era. lived it back then everyday and couldnt wait to wake up and put on radio to update the shenigans of these nutz. l do really miss kobe though even though he doesnt come off great all the time in this book but he was young then. he grew into the great man husband and dad that left us way too soon. rip mamba and gigi. love book and the lake show.

Really great read. Extremely well researched and detailed. Pearlman has an obvious dislike for Kobe and it shows in his writing when Bryant becomes the topic. He makes no attempt to explain or redeem Kobe’s reasons for his immature days. But other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend.

This was a wonderful book. If you like a more long winded storyteller, Jeff Pearlman is your man. He writes in a fascinating way that leaves no stone unturned. If even a minor character comes into the storyline, he gives them the respect of a page or two of biography. This is a must read for Lakers fans and sports enthusiasts everywhere.

Loved Pearman's Showtime and now loving Three Ring Circus. Every chapter is riveting and brings to life the supporting cast of players and coaches as well as the main trio: Shaq, Kobe and Phil. A fun trip down memory lane for those who lived thru the dynastic years (me) and those experiencing it the first time (son and nephews).

Jeff has done it again. This in depth look at the saga that was the Shaq-Kobe lakers was thoughtful, honest and an addictive move turner. I loved the detail and the way he introduced you to the figure of the time. I read this book in just a couple days because I couldn’t put it down. Any fan should read this book!!!

As a lifelong Laker fan, my high school years were during this era and this book details this time so well. It’s extremely well written, great insight into a team that was so good on the court, and yet had so many challenges off. Anyone who is a fan of basketball, sports or great writing should read this! Thanks Jeff!

This book is further proof Jeff Pearlman is one of the best sportswriters on the planet. This artfully crafted book takes us back to relive the ups and downs of one of the NBA’s most unpredictable, volatile and, above all else, talented teams in recent memory. Well done, Jeff. Looking forward to whatever story you choose to tell next.

Jeff Pearlman is go to guy for 2 of the last 3 Lakers dynasties. Waiting for the Kobe/ Gassol run in 2008. Pretty tough on Kobe, but that sounds correct

What a great behind the scenes story. I had no idea about the some of things that went on. Learned alot about the cast of characters, some of it - not so nice. Quite an eye opener! If you love hoops, you'll love this book.

Great book! Pearlman does a fantastic job giving the reader a behind the curtain look at the Lakers championship run from 1996-2004, winning three NBA titles. Book is filled with great stories, hall of fame players/coaches, classic games, and peeled back the layers of a young Kobe. Highly recommended and a great ride of a book!

An accurate description of 1996-2004 Lakers team. However instead of giving us a profound and critical story telling of Kobe Bryant, Shaq & Phil Jacksons 3 ring run... Jeff Pearlman intentionally amplifies and overtly criticizes every mistake Kobe makes throughout this time while completely minimizing those of Shaq and Phil. Overall, Jeff isn't just critical of Bryant. He is spiteful, jealous, hateful even. He diminishes Kobe's great accomplishments, regularly trying to say the credit was deserved elsewhere or perhaps brushing over a huge defining moment in his career... but you'll never see him mention something critical about Shaq's laziness or immature leadership / Phils ego. It's as if Jeff wrote this book with the intention of saying "the lakers would have won 10 rings instead of 3 if they just traded Kobe or got rid of him" You'll read comments on the back talking about how "brutally honest" this book is.. however this novel is simply jealous and spiteful. Jeff, you should feel shameful for writing this. Think I'm being unfair? Just read the very last page of this book...

More than a great basketball book, this is an incisive look into the minds of driven people and what made them tick, warts and all. This is an early part of their stories, but it is what made for greatness. . I could not put this book down until finished.

What a ride into the Lakers dynasty?! To think that they won 3 out of 4 finals with Shaq and Kobe basically hating each other is unreal! What a time?!

This book is absolutely wonderful. If you are a Laker fan, this is a must-read. The author, Jeff Pearlman does a phenominal job of looking back at the Shaq/Kobe era and does it in an intriguing fashion. The book is like reading candy. Delicious!!!

This is yet another great book by author Jeff Pearlman, who had previously written “Showtime”, which was about the Lakers dynasty of the 1980s. Very well written and researched and provides a unique insider look at this era of Lakers Basketball.

Jeff’s detail and story telling is incredible! You really feel like you were a member of he Lakers team. He provides great insight to all aspects of the Lakers from 96-04. This is a necessity for all Laker fans!

The detail is amazing. This author is amazing. This is such an easy read. This is required reading for any sports fan. Especially with the Lakers trying to win their 17th championship right now and tie the Celtics for most all time.

Not a lot of behind-the-scenes info. Mainly just a recap of well-known stories with player quotes. And very Kobe-bashing. Even as he's saving the Lakers in Game 4 of the Finals in 2000, the author goes out of his way to mention that other players were open. Book is a little repetitive, also. The way the author kept talking about Del Harris talking too much was very ironic. Still, entertaining if you're a sports fan.

Once again, Jeff Pearlman put me in the middle of his subject matter. He is an entertaining, thoughtful, amusing, and grounded writer. I look forward to his next work.

Attractive plot, interesting storyline, live characters.. yet not convincing. This book talks about the ‘dark side’ of Lakers, or to be more specific, the ‘dark side’ if Kobe Bryant. Every mistake Kobe made were amplified, and every mistake Shaq and others made were generally ignored. All the dedication and efforts Kobe put in to enhance his skills are largely ignored. Jeff is a great writer, but with flawed vision.

Very well written book, but man was it negative. Is it just this author's perception? I don't know, but I kept hoping the stories would make me feel better but they never did. Very negative take on lots of sports figures, and Kobe in particular. I read the entire book and when I was done wished that I had never started.

I recommend this book to all Laker fans out there who want to relive the glory years of Shaq and Kobe!!

So so so good. And it makes me want to read even more of his work. 11/10 would recommend. Bravo.

A masterpiece from one of my favorite authors. A must read not just for Lakers' fans, but to every sports fan who loves the inside stories.

Captivating and juicy from Page 1, this is the most interesting basketball book I’ve ever read. Any NBA fan, even the most casual, will love this book

Loved the personal and intense stories shared in this book! Helped remind me of what a chaotic journey it was!

Well researched. I thought I was familiar with that Laker time frame . Author unearthed incredible details of that period.

Great book!

Any fan of the Lakers or the NBA would enjoy. Very well-written, gritty, and keeps you on your toes!

If you love the Kobe / Shaq Lakers this is a must read. The author is a prick tho

Fantastic book! I would highly recommend to anyone who follows the NBA. Hard to put down!

Thoroughly researched, well-written, and oddly poignant at times. Jeff Pearlman gives a masterful inside look at the Shaq-Kobe mini-dynasty. Highly recommended!

Author is a great writer, very informative, great insight. I just can’t get over how he paints Kobe as villain, whatever he does is wrong and he’s evil, whenever Shaq does something wrong he meant well and good intentions. Worth the read but very biased

once you start you will not put it down till you finish it. great book by a great author

well written, easy read and so interesting that you'll zip right thru it. highly recommend.

Great book I am learning a lot about lakers

Amazing book

A great book that was well researched and included great stories.

Must read for NBA fans.

Great book relived everything I already lived.

One of the best books I have ever read

Great read

Book came damaged. Look forward to reading it, though.

Great book

Great read!

The entire book is a vendetta against the late Kobe Bryant. Shaq could’ve ghost written it. I have no idea what Kobe did to this writer, but the writer’s retelling of a glorious era of Laker history is spite filled and petty. Very disappointing.

Pearlman writes like a middle school student padding their word count. I cringed each time he mentioned Staple Center's capacity (18,997) or used parentheses (too many to count).

If you’re a Laker fan and much a Kobe fan. You won’t like this book. Just saying.

As a Celtics fan, it was hard to revisit this fantastic stretch from the Lakers. With that being said, the book does a fantastic job of analyzing how the dynasty began and what ultimately led to its demise. I will warn people that it does not paint Kobe Bryant in a good light. The author discusses this at the beginning by correctly pointing out that people can mature as they get older, and that this took place before said maturation really took shape. Some aspects of the story are still hard to stomach, even when you keep this in mind. Regardless, I really enjoyed reading about the Shaq-Kobe relationship, the Phil Jackson-Kobe relationship, and the supporting cast that helped the trio capture three straight titles. I'd recommend this book to any basketball fan

Jeff Pearlman’s Three-Ring Circus gives a detailed look into the Los Angeles Lakers from 1996 to 2004, a period regarded by many as a “dynasty” for the franchise. The roster was headlined by future legends Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, and from 1999 onward, was coached by legendary coach Phil Jackson. Because of the roster’s sheer talent level and the fact that they won three championships in a row from 1999-2002, it’s easy to forget that these Lakers arguably had more internal challenges and controversies than any other notable NBA dynasty. Pearlman’s dive into the personal lives of the three Lakers superstars during this time aims to remind readers of these challenges, their implications, and every other crazy detail in between that made that Lakers dynasty so sensational. As a basketball fan myself, Three-Ring Circus was enlightening. For context, not only was I born in 2001, I got seriously into basketball rather late, in 2014 or so. Even as a Lakers-neutral fan, I was lucky to have caught the tail end of Bryant’s career before he retired in 2016; by then, he was entering his late 30s, was coming off of a devastating Achilles injury, and the Lakers were a rebuilding franchise struggling to win 25 out of 82 games per season. It’s fair to say that I missed the entirety of the dynasty discussed, and even several of the years following it. While I had heard stories and watched YouTube highlights of the legendary Kobe-Shaq duo, an understanding of how their fragile but electrifying dynamic as teammates (and how Jackson masterfully managed their gargantuan egos to guide them to NBA championship-winning greatness) escaped me. I expected to gain this understanding while reading, but I finished the book with that and much more. This is because Pearlman does not only touch on the obvious elephants in the room: Kobe-Shaq animosity, Shaq’s free throw troubles, close Finals games that would go on to decide that year’s title winners. He also explores storylines regarding the Lakers’ less-remembered role players. For example, Pearlman details the shaky relationship between Jackson and Glen Rice, a former all-star who had been brought into Los Angeles with lofty expectations only to be relegated to the third scoring option as a young Bryant broke out into the superstar he is remembered as today. He also tells the story of the time Kobe sucker-punched Samaki Walker, Shaq’s starting frontcourt partner, over $100, nearly sparking a more violent fight between the two on the team bus. He even presents the unique perspective of Mark Madsen, a player who averaged 11 minutes per game for the Lakers over three seasons and had a great view of the talent, ego, and intensity of the Lakers superstars from the bench for the remaining 37 minutes of each game. Pearlman weaves it all into a tapestry that depicts three titans (mostly) working together to win three championship rings, but also implies that they could’ve won more. For basketball fans, Three-Ring Circus is a must-read. Pearlman’s exploration of the Lakers dynasty was very reminiscent of “The Last Dance,” a popular television miniseries about Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls dynasty that aired just a few months before Three-Ring Circus was published (funnily, the Bulls were also coached by Phil Jackson). Die-hard fans of the Bulls, die-hard haters of the Bulls, and fledgling basketball fans with little NBA history background all had something of value to take away from watching that series, whether it be educational, entertaining, or nostalgic; Three-Ring Circus is the same way. While Pearlman’s storytelling can be basketball jargon-heavy at times, even non-basketball fans can find it an enjoyable read. Pearlman’s main goal is to educate, which is why he gives plenty of background for each topic he covers in the book, but his secondary goal is to entertain, which is why the facts are dramatized the way they are.

This book is not only an easy read with a great flow, but it gives the inside stuff like we were inside the training camp with the Lakers to inside the locker room at the NBA finals. It really showed how human these athletes were and are just like the rest of us even though they are larger than life physically and in fame. For all Kobe fans, I will quote Jack Nicholson from a Few Good Men, “You can’t handle the truth!” because you may not be able to endure all the details. Pearlman pretty much gives us the ugly truth on everyone from Phil Jackson to Cedric Ceballos. Basically you can say those guys are arrogant and the other “a” word. However, the Michael Jordan of arrogant and the other “a” word has to be Kobe. Kobe was able to surpass Jordan in this category (even Kareem couldn’t top Kobe in this in Pearlman’s other book). I think the next book for Pearlman has to be on Lebron, Anthony Davis and Westbrook.

During this Pandemic there hasn’t been much to do outside of my normal routine so I started watching basketball again as it was one of the few sports that was being played live at the time. I haven’t watch basketball consistently in over 10 years (since my favorite player Allen Iverson retired). So when I came across Jeff Pearlman’s “Three-Ring Circus: Shaq, Kobe, Phil, and the Crazy Years of the Lakers Dynasty” I decided to give it a read. Not a sports enthusiast or particular fan of the Lakers my only other foray into sports books was about Allen Iverson called “Only the Strong Survive” by Larry Platt. Three Ring Circus is a very well written, witty book. It was an easy read despite my lack of knowledge about most of the players mentioned. This is mostly due to the author injecting personality and humor throughout. There are a lot of details to cover and the author does a good job of balancing it all. He provides background and perspective on even the smallest players, the ones who only contributed a handful of minutes off the bench. It's very honest look told mostly through stories from other players, coaches, executives and fellow journalists. These stories range from funny to sad to surprising. The main focus is on the three-headed monster that was Shaquille “Shaq” O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and Coach Phil Jackson. New to the league but full of ambition, ego and stubbornness Kobe doesn’t come across well at all. His laser focus and aloofness doesn’t endear him to teammates or coaches and definitely not the team’s leader Shaq whose attempts at playing big brother is consistently rejected by Kobe. Phil Jackson, one of the all-time winningest coaches in history and most famously coach of the great Michael Jordan, is brought in to help the volatile duo win Championships which of course they do but still doesn’t inspire any off the court camaraderie. The Lakers is constantly adjusting bringing in and shuffling out new players that only seem to form unity when it’s down to the wire. After a 3-peat of winning the Championship the team implodes with money demands, threads to leave the team if other players stay and overall egos out of control. With firsthand accounts, the author is able to bring an intimate feel to “Three Ring Circus” that often makes you feel like you are in the locker room, in the games, traveling with the team and their whirlwind-like dynamics. We review in detail Kobe Bryant’s rape accusation, how it affected the team and is provided with an update on what the District Attorney and Investigator feel about the case today. The author also includes a last minute Prologue regarding the tragic death of the basketball legend who died in a helicopter crash shortly after the book went to publication. In sports it’s always fascinating to get a glimpse at the players and behind the scenes soap opera and “Three Ring Circus” does not disappoint. As casual fan I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I guess if there’s a good thing about this Pandemic we are going through in 2020 it’s discovering things you never thought you’d enjoy and in my case that would be laughing out loud and shaking my head at the antics of rich, famous, talented, egotistical athletes who spend as much time competing with each other as they do opponents.

Great read overall. The book provides tremendous detail overall on the Lakers dynasty as well in-depth looks into the backgrounds of all those involved. This includes several players who were not prominently feature, such as JR Rider, John Salley, Devean George, and many others. I really enjoyed learning more about some of the lesser names. However, as a Lakers fan, I couldn't ignore the fact that the book casts an overwhelmingly negative picture of Bryant, which isn't always fair and sometimes just blatantly biased. Many of us following basketball and the Lakers at the time knew that Kobe during that period was often selfish, immature, and could be a terrible teammate. He often did not heed Jackson's coaching and his desire to be just like Michael Jordan sometimes led him astray. Pearlman provides many stories of this to confirm what many of us already thought of Kobe. However, the vast majority of incidents involving Kobe are used to characterize him in a negative light. Many times, this characterization is justified, but not always. For example, prior to the 2004 season when Bryant's current contract was about to expire and he was unwilling to commit to the Lakers for his new contract, Pearlman uses this as an example to cite Bryant's selfishness and ungratefulness to the organization that had done so much for him. He omits the fact that NBA teams often show no such loyalty to veteran players who have deteriorated in their play. These organizations often cut said players, simply citing "It's business", with little to no backlash from fans or the media. In framing this scenario, Pearlman also ignores the fact that Bryant was absolutely integral to the Lakers 3 peat and helped the Lakers rake in hundreds of millions of dollars over this period while also rising back to the top of the NBA after being a complete mess in the 1990's. Who exactly was indebted to whom in this scenario? Was it really Bryant who was the ungrateful one here, or was it the Lakers, who simply assumed they owned the star after he had brought them so much money and success. During this period, Pearlman also cites an incident when Phil Jackson was questioning why the Lakers organization was asking Bryant his opinion for certain PR moves, given Bryant was acting strangely at the time. One of the examples Pearlman uses to cite Bryant's "odd behavior" was that he got a bunch of new tattoos, including several that included Bible verses and odes to wife and daughter. Somehow, this Pearlman considers this an example of Bryant's mercurial behavior even though it seems a majority of NBA players have similar such tattoos. Pearlman also frames Kobe's unwillingness to go to clubs and parties with other players at night as evidence of his aloofness and arrogance, rather than his single minded devotion to being the greatest basketball player he could possibly be. Even if there are plenty of examples that clearly and fairly display Bryant's selfishness unequivocally, the book is riddle with examples like those listed above that exemplify Pearlman's bias against Bryant. Overall, I would say this is still a great book because of its vivid and fascinating portrayal of the events involved. However, be warned, especially if you're a Lakers or Bryant fan, that the book definitely shows a strong bias.

Another good one from the best sports author in the country right now. Lots of Inside stories about the recent Laker dynasty. Especially tons of Kobe stuff, and not all positive.

Once again, Jeff Pearlman (my favorite sportswriter) has knocked it out of the park with this one. Much like 'Showtime...' offered a warts-and-all look at the 1980s Lakers dynasty I became a fan of in childhood, 'Three-Ring Circus...' looks at the Lakers of my college years and young adulthood, the next great dynasty after a short period of mediocrity. And boy, were these Lakers dysfunctional, whether one wants to admit it or not. Given Kobe Bryant's unfortunate passing, Pearlman does a good job addressing the elephant in the room with the author's note -- the Kobe whose exploits are discussed in the book is not the same Kobe who matured significantly in his late 20s and early 30s and won another two championships with Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, and a returning Phil Jackson as head coach. That said, Bryant is not painted in a very positive light as Pearlman details numerous stories of his standoffish, belligerent, and arrogant behavior behind the scenes. And while Shaquille O'Neal oftentimes seems like the more pleasant superstar of the two, he doesn't get off easy either, especially in his final year with the team. Over the course of the book, Pearlman details just about every facet of the Lakers' successful 1996-2004 run, and not just the Shaq vs. Kobe rivalry, and he does so in an entertaining, oftentimes humorous way while citing as many first-hand sources as he could. Reading about the Lakers vs. Sacramento Kings rivalry of the early 2000s immediately brought back memories of one of the NBA's most intense feuds in modern history, and it was nice to see Pearlman acknowledge that there was something fishy going on during Game 6 of their Western Conference Finals series in 2002. Even the most die-hard Lakers fan would admit that game was as scripted as your average WWE match. Bryant's rape case is also examined in-depth and with a focus on the facts at hand, rather than the myriad rumors that were swirling during that time. While I stand by this five-star review, there are a few knocks -- mainly, there are some slight factual inconsistencies. At one point, the Lakers are described as having a 3-9 record early in the 2002-03 season, and a few paragraphs later, their record is stated as 4-8. At another point, Kobe is alternately described as being 26, then 25 during the 2004 offseason. But those are merely nitpicks, and they did not take away from my enjoyment of this book. It's definitely a must-read for any basketball fan, Lakers fan or otherwise.

My formative years were spent watching and loving this team. They were my heroes and I lived and died by what the Lakers did on the court. However, I did not realize the true extent of the drama that went on off the court. Jeff Pearlman paints a vivid picture of the dysfunction that enveloped this team from 1996-2004 with no respite. I have spent much time in the years that followed wondering how many titles they left on the table by breaking up the duo of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. After reading this book, the appropriate question should be, “How did this team win any titles?” Kobe, my childhood hero, was the worst possible co-worker imaginable. Shaq was an affable, fun-loving, generous teammate, but deep insecurities exacerbated an already explosive situation with his immature co-star who could not accept that Shaq was the straw that stirred the Lakers’ drink. The less dynamic Laker role players on the court like Rick Fox, Brian Shaw and Derek Fisher were the stars off the court by keeping this team from imploding for as long as they did. Everyone is aware of the Shaq-Kobe relationship, but Pearlman does a fantastic job filling in the gaps by bringing those periphery characters to life - people like Nick Van Exel, Mike Penberthy, JR Rider and much more. Pearlman takes you right in the middle of that terrible night in Colorado in painstaking, uncomfortable detail. He pulls no punches. Yet other parts of the book he brings a sense of humor and an appreciation for the absurdity of the whole enterprise of those Lakers teams. This book was completed before the death of Kobe. While this book is not a flattering portrayal of the Black Mamba, Pearlman does a good job acknowledging that this is a factual picture of what Kobe was like in those years, not necessarily a representation of what he became before his death. It is detailed enough without being bogged down in the minutiae. It is a brisk, fast-paced narrative. I would recommend this book on a vital piece of basketball history to anyone interested in the Lakers, whether they love them or hate them (there usually isn’t a middle ground).

The headline says it all. This book is incredible. No details spared - the curtain pulled all the way back. If you want to know what it was really like behind closed doors, there's no better account. A must for anyone who remotely loves NBA Basketball.

Really enjoyed this book and the stories within it. Makes me want to read more Pearlman books.

This book was written just before the passing of Kobe Bryant. But I can tell you, even if Kobe was still alive, nothing would have been different with final editing being what it is. Pearlman is brutally honest with every book he writes and this was no exception. Pearlman is the best in the game and this tale was fantastic. I look forward to his sequel about Jacksons second run with the team.

It was fun to relive the Phil/Shaq/Kobe years with the Lakers, as they were THE team to follow for a few years there. I love basketball and though I am a Knicks fan (they were highly competitive for a few years of this Shaq/Kobe pairing) the Lakers became THE team in the NBA to follow so I started to follow them as the Knicks began a downward spiral that is in fact still going on (which Phil Jackson oversaw a few years of). I’ve spent a lot of time analyzing the two as two of the more narcissistic superstars in NBA history and am honestly still impressed they were able to win 3 Finals together- speaks volumes to some of the role players (Harper Fisher Fox Horry etc). Some of the things that occurred during that era- I still look at them and wonder why they happened (the pickup game incident specifically). I’ve read a lot of Pearlmans books (after all he’s from Mahopac and I’m from the neighboring town of Somers) and while my favorite remains the one about the Cowboys, this one is #2. Cant wait for his book about Bo Jackson!

A must have for any basketball fan. A true behind the scene snap shot of the most dominant team during a time when the league was in transition. The book offers an unflinching look at the enigma that was Kobe Bryant (RIP) and Shaq before he was a grump on the set of TNT. Cannot recommend highly enough.

This book was written before Kobe's untimely death. Therefore, it is not a "he is dead so his life was perfect" book. It shows Kobe as Kobe, the good and the bad. RIP Kobe, you were a great player, one of the best.

He's not the best writer. He's heavy on cheesy metaphors and he has a bizarre infatuation with race that would have even BLM telling him to tone it down. But I have read every single one of his books. Why? Because he digs deep, and he's not scared to report what he finds. He "brings back the curtain" better than any other sports writer, and this is no exception.

Outstanding book. I am a casual NBA fan, and was never a fan of the Kobe/Shaq Lakers, but I found myself fascinated with the storyline. The star power they both possessed, combined for a hatred of one another, makes for one of the most compelling relationships in sports history. The book is extremely critical of Kobe, which I am sure will cause it drawing criticism from Kobe/Laker loyalists, but as the author notes in the preface, this was written prior to his death and and shows how far Kobe progressed from an 18 year old. Only criticism was the Audible reader is certainly not a huge sports fan, as some of the name pronunciations stand out. But overall, outstanding storyline that flys by.

Thanks to an Advanced Readers Copy from NetGalley, I dug into another terrific book authored by Jeff Pearlman. Pearlman’s latest book is entitled “Three Ring Circus” and tells us the insiders story of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball dynasty of the early 2000’s highlighted by Kobe, Shaw, and Phil. And if you do not know who those three people are (were) you are not a basketball fan. Not being a Lakers fan ( Go Chicago Bulls!) reading this book was a revelation about these players and coaches that I was only familiar with as athletes on the court. The stories are both interesting but sometimes graphic ( most notably the accusations rape by Kobe Bryant.). One walks away from this book with considerably stronger feelings about the main characters... Not big on 5-star ratings: this book is worthy!

I thought I knew everything about Kobe, Shaq and Phil since I lived in Los Angeles during their dynasty. I was wrong and am immensely grateful to Pearlman for writing Three Ring Circus. It's one of my all-time faves in the sports genre. The scenes are on point. The action flows. The unbridled truth comes out. Hail Pearlman! This book demonstrates why high schoolers should be banned from jumping to the NBA. Physical talent and emotional maturity are not the same thing. One can be practiced with drills. The other comes with lived experience. Kobe proved this time and time again. On an odd side note, as I read Three Ring Circus, I wondered if Kobe had narcissistic personality disorder (NPD). I'd love to hear someone else's thoughts on my suspicion. Leave your comments below. Thanks!

Elaborate, plain-spoken and reminiscent of a time that will never be again. What more could we ask for in a book about the most dynastic run in the NBA?

I bought this for my boyfriend’s birthday, a big sports fan and he loves sports history so I thought this would be a good gift. It was! He says it’s well written and incredibly interesting. He’s had it for 3 days now and is already halfway done, he can’t put it down!

I'm not a big NBA fan but I'm a big Jeff Pearlman fan and his latest book, "Three-Ring Circus", is outstanding. Exhaustive research, great stories, and excellent writing--it's all here.

If you like sports books - Pearlman really is the best. As an avid NBA fan, I knocked this book out in 3 days - great insight and behind the scenes stories for one of the great NBA teams.

Certainly an interesting read, but I wonder how many described incidents, especially those during closed practice sessions really occurred?

Disclaimer: I am not a Lakers fan but I do love the NBA. There are some very interesting stories in this book and there was clearly a significant amount of research done for this book. Definitely disappoints in it's overly negative tone in many instances, as well as the frequent attempts to crowbar jokes or crass comments. Overall, it does provide insight into the era and the issues that befell the team but it certainly strives to seek the negative. From the tone of the book alone, one could conclude that the Lakers were constantly losing in the playoffs and not that the team actually accomplishments the rare feat of winning 3 titles in a row.

This is a biased, repetitive Kobe Bryant hit job. Phil’s depicted poorly as well, but Kobe’s characterized as a psycho barely capable of existing within society. It’s not just the accounts he includes, it’s his own little jabs of commentary and constantly calling Kobe “pathetic”. He connects dots with a clear agenda. Kobe initially claiming he didn’t have sex with the rape accuser MUST mean he lied about everything. Because husbands never lie about adultery. Kobe’s somehow characterized as a cold, lying rapist but also a naive blabbermouth to the police. In this book Kobe is humiliated at every turn, constantly put in his place, manipulated by Vanessa, etc etc. He’s an idiot, a failure, a fraud. The only times Kobe is included in any positive light is when he acquiesces to Shaquille. It’s an entertaining book if you followed the team, but I think Phil’s book is better.

Enjoyed the stories of shaq and his character along with some of the other lakers, being a fan of the lakers I’m aware of Kobe’s arrogance and hard to relate to personality at a young age however I feel the book became more of a bashing of Bryant than anything else

Where does this guy get off disrespecting the Mamba? Don't buy this.

Just the best! Whatever he writes, I read. Great book. Brought back a lot of memories of a weird team that should have won a bunch more titles. But, heck, if they did where'd the fun be in that? Great stories, great book. Thanks to Mr Pearlman!

Recommended for sports enthusiasts

Three-Ring Circus has the feel of a documentary. It tells the story of the Los Angeles Lakers being led back to greatness from 1996-2004 (winning three NBA Championships in 2000,2001,and 2002) by NBA Hall of Famers Shaq and Kobe who was coached by arguably the greatest in sports history in NBA Hall of Famer Phil Jackson who coached the Chicago Bulls with His Airness Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and others to six NBA Championships the 90's. Jeff Pearlman has become one of my favorite writers and he did an excellent and masterful job telling this story!!!!

If you like drama this book is great. I disliked and felt bad for Kobe this whole book. That's important to note because only great writers can put you through the bevy of emotions he did. Definite page turner if you were a fan of that era or just love hoop during that time.

The guy can flat-out write. Having grown up watching the NBA, I figured that I would not learn all that much. Boy, was I wrong. An absolutely fantastic book.

If you read this book without having any knowledge of Kobe Bryant or the Shaq/Kobe era in LA, you would conclude the Lakers won 3 straight NBA titles in spite of Kobe. Don’t get me wrong — the book is extremely well written and researched, making it a fascinating inside look at the 1996-2004 Lakers. Pearlman also writes with a dry wit and biting humor that basketball fans and casual readers will enjoy. It totally deserves 5 stars as a captivating and illuminating page-turner. The problem lies with the way he portrays the central character in this chronicle: superstar Kobe Bryant - or super demon, based on this book. It’s not bad that Pearlman seems to point out every mistake, flaw and foolish move Bryant made. Kobe’s reputation as immature, selfish, volatile, antisocial, brooding, callous and stubborn was well earned in his younger years, and it’s enlightening to read the detailed accounts of his more unsavory and stupid behaviors. What is disappointing is how Pearlman takes every opportunity to portray Kobe as the source of almost all of the Lakers’ problems and either omits his accomplishments or refers to them in a cynical tone. Even in periods where Kobe performed admirably on the court and led his team to victories, Pearlman chooses to highlight bench warmers instead and imply that it was their marginal contributions that made the difference. Halfway through, it is clear that the message of this book is that Kobe had no redeeming qualities. The tone is so biased that after Kobe died in January 2020, Pearlman added a foreword right before publication, expressing sorrow and contrition over his passing. He knew he attempted to burn Kobe’s reputation at the stake in this book and it was ill-advised. It’s one thing to possess a significant bias against the real-life subject of your book. It’s another to attempt to conceal that bias in a broader story. For that, I cannot give more than 3 stars.

Great read, lots of “inside baseball” info, confirmed some rumors, shed light on things I didn’t know, and was an overall entertaining book. A must for any Lakers fan!

This is such an awesome book. The author clearly worked insanely hard interviewing everyone he possibly could have and the result is an incredible page turner that is humorous and impossible to put down. This is a must read for any sports fan.

Unreal book! Great read with awesome stories from the Lakers Shaq/Kobe years. Read it in 4 days. Couldn't put it down once I started.