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Nick interviews author Pete Croatto

From Hang Time to Prime Time: Business, Entertainment, and the Birth of the Modern-Day NBA

From Hang Time to Prime Time
Business, Entertainment, and the Birth of the Modern-Day NBA

Pete Croatto's "From Hang Time to Prime Time: Business, Entertainment, and the Birth of the Modern-day NBA" covers the NBA's rise from an afterthought in America's sports culture into a pop culture and business behemoth known throughout the world.

Pete is a former Bucks County resident whose work has appeared in a number of outlets, including The New York Times, Grantland, the A.V. Club, GQ, Men's Journal, SLAM, Philadelphia, and Shondaland. He lives in Ithaca, NY, with his wife, Laura, an Eagles fan, and their daughter, Olivia, who's a fan of Paw Patrol.

He and Nick chatted about everything from Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons and the current 76ers to the glory days of Dr. J and the heated rivalries of the 80's with Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. The NBA has grown to become a worldwide force, not only economically but also geopolitically. In this conversation, Pete and Nick cover the rise of the NBA, chat about their favorite players over the years and where the league might be heading next:


Perfect for fans of Moneyball and The Book of Basketball, this vivid, thoroughly entertaining, and well-researched book explores the NBA’s surge in popularity in the 1970s and 1980s and its transformation into a global cultural institution.


Nick McIlwain is a member of the Preston & Steve Show on WMMR and has been a part of the station for over 20 years. Nick’s passions include attending concerts, cheering for Philly sports and anything that has to do with the Dave Matthews Band, Pearl Jam, The Rolling Stones, U2, Coldplay, and The Beatles. You can find Nick writing about his concert experiences.