Walter and Wally Szczerbiak: Two generations of basketball

Walter Szczerbiak and Juan Escudero

-PROLOGUE BY JULIUS ERVING-

Basketball as a business, entertainment, and pure sport has undergone a radical change from the 1970s to the present day, with the inexorable passage of time acting as a heavy burden that strangles our memories until they are almost completely blurred. For this reason, few names that emerged during that time have survived to this day in a clear and distinct way. One of them is undoubtedly Walter Szczerbiak. That American forward of Ukrainian origin with an unpronounceable surname arrived in Madrid in the summer of 1973, almost without knowing what he was about to face, and with the complicated mission of adding something extra to a team already dominant on the Spanish scene and with many aspirations on the international stage.

Walter Robert Szczerbiak, known as "Wally" in both his family and sports circles, belonged to a different school of basketball, and his characteristics differed slightly from those of his famous father. To paraphrase the great Larry Bird in his comparison to Dirk Nowitzki: taller, stronger, faster, but not necessarily a better player, genetics helped him become a professional in this sport. We can say he was born predestined for it, and with great physical and technical aptitudes to excel in an ultra-competitive world.
This book aims to cover a wide span of time, focusing on two players who share a last name but experienced their profession from different perspectives. Starting from small, smoky, adrenaline-filled Spanish and European arenas, to the enormous American arenas and the boundless spectacle of the NBA. From the head-to-head clashes with Dino Meneghin and Bob Morse in those black-and-white finals, to sharing a locker room and facing legends of the caliber of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and LeBron James. More than three decades of basketball encompass them. Let's look back to rescue from memory interesting and eternal pieces of history that are linked to two generations with the same last name.

Two basketball greats, one a living legend of Real Madrid.
A prolific scorer, a true scoring machine who, after 23 years, still holds the scoring record in the Spanish league with 65 points. He played for Real Madrid for seven years, the last three in the European Cup, which he won three times.

Prologue by NBA legend Julius Erving and epilogue by Carmelo Cabrera.

AUTHORS
Walter Szczerbiak. Born in a refugee camp in West Germany four years after the end of World War II to a Ukrainian family, Walter Szczerbiak's life was anything but a bed of roses.

Having emigrated with his family to Pittsburgh, in the United States, at the age of thirteen he began to take an interest in basketball, a sport that saw him grow both personally and professionally until a pivotal moment arrived in the summer of 1973. There he signed for Real Madrid, where he would mark a turning point thanks to a career full of success. He has always maintained a special connection with this country.
since his son Wally (future NBA player) was born in Madrid in 1977.

Twenty-five years working for the Association of Basketball Clubs and the indelible memory he left in Madrid make him remain an unforgettable legend for fans of the sport.

Juan Francisco Escudero Born in Madrid and a Real Madrid member since childhood, he witnessed many of the club's successes in the 1980s and 1990s. He has already written a dozen books about great basketball figures, unforgettable moments, and legendary teams.

Prologue by Julius Erving, NBA legend, and epilogue by Carmelo Cabrera, the white Globetrotter.