A college All-American at Bradley University (1959-62) and an NBA star for the Philadelphia 76ers and the Chicago Bulls (1962-75), Chet Walker was one of the first black athletes to gain celebrity status on the basketball court, coming into his own while the Civil Rights movement was sweeping the country.

Now an Emmy Award-winning television and film producer, Chet Walker has written this eloquent and candid account of his illustrious sports career and the struggles, sacrifices, and successes - both personal and political - that have shaped his life. Here he describes the obligatory double consciousness of the black athlete, who must forgo political and social activism in exchange for status as a sports hero and cultural role model.

A true team player who helped build two of the all-time great NBA teams, Walker describes the underside as well as the glory of that life, while giving us an intimate look into the conscience of a gifted, multitalented, and deeply thoughtful African-American. His basketball career ended not when his talent ran out but when his conscience told him it was time to no longer be "owned" by anyone.