Capital Kings

About the Book

The President might live at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in the heart of Washington, D.C., but in the nation's capital, there is no question that basketball is king. For more than half a century, local standouts have gotten in their run, first at the local playgrounds and now in air conditioned gyms. And for just as long the debate has raged: Who are the best players to come out of this fertile basketball ground? The conversation dates back to Elgin Baylor and Dave Bing, who starred at Spingarn High in the 1950s and eventually were selected to the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History when the league celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1996. Then there were standouts like Adrian Dantley and Danny Ferry of DeMatha High in the 1970s and 1980s, respectively, and Grant Hill at South Lakes in the 1990s. The first decade of the new century brought Montrose Christian phenom Kevin Durant, who already has put together a splendid career in a short time. Throughout the years, the discussion has remained fervent, as local hoops aficionados wonder where each sensation belongs on the list of Capital Kings. This book attempts to sort things out.

About the Author

A Washington-area native, perhaps no one is better positioned to write about the region's best basketball players than Josh Barr. After all, he spent much of the past 20 years listening to the debate about who belongs -- or doesn't -- on the list. Barr covered local basketball for The Washington Post for nearly 17 years, including a stint on the University of Maryland beat that produced his first book, Good Enough to Be Great, which chronicled the Terrapins' run to the 2002 NCAA men's basketball championship. He watched and wrote about the area's recent top prospects, a list that starts with 2006 Montrose Christian graduate Kevin Durant. And for those Capital Kings who predated Barr's arrival on the local scene, he knew where to turn for expert insight, from the area's top high school coaches, former teammates and college coaches such as Maryland's Lefty Driesell and Gary Williams and Georgetown's John Thompson Jr. Barr lives in Bethesda, with his wife, Jodi, their daughters Sasha and Chelsey, and their dog, Jeffy.