Courtside A Memoir of Life, Learning, Law & Purpose

Courtside, by Derick Loury is an autobiography detailing the growth, development, and challenges of a man with a rich range of experiences throughout his life. Basketball becomes a grounding and centering point for him, inspiring him on and off the court. He becomes a talented player throughout high school and college, though ultimately follows a different path once reaching adulthood and he cycles through a few jobs before joining law enforcement and, eventually, becoming a prison warden.

He has many relationships along the way, friends and family that impact his life. The book is divided into three main sections–aptly titled with basketball terms–that chronicle grade school, college, and life after college. Though high school had set him up for a bright future in basketball, even earning him a scholarship to college, various obstacles kept him from achieving any true momentum with the sport. After many set-backs and life challenges, he finds a new passion and career in Law Enforcement which would eventually lead to his current career as a prison warden. Basketball remained a passion as he sought to organize leagues to give back to his community or to officiate for various schools.

This book succeeds in an interesting combination of styles, while not quite being strictly any of them. It has a stream-of-consciousness feel while maintaining a linear drive forward through the author's life. At times it reads very factual and textbook like, which feels authentic to the author's style and experiences. He blends lists and facts with a distinct narrative voice to properly capture his unique perspective on life and its many challenges.

Derick Loury, Prison Warden, is retracing his footsteps to explore how he arrived at his position in life. The purpose that God revealed in Derick Loury's life was hidden in the hallways of fear, disappointments and cultural dependency, exposed in the crease of life's twists and turns through admitted failures. It's believed that the nature of his grandparents influenced his desire to love mankind through helping others and giving back to his church, community and the criminal justice system while obeying the Holy Spirit. What's understandably clear is three crucial factors set the stage for Derick that defined his purpose. Accepting Jesus Christ at an early age opened doors to receive purpose, grace and mercy. Jesus covered Derick in his quest to be an esteemed African American father, husband and professional person. Earning a full basketball scholarship enabled him to enter into the realm of knowledge and understanding. Pledging into the noble Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity allowed him to gain access into the relationship matrix that endears faith, controls wealth of resources, protects information, shares intelligence and solidifies his purpose in God's kingdom. In 20 seasons as Villanova's William B. Finneran Endowed Head Coach, Jay Wright has guided the Wildcats to new heights, including NCAA national championships in 2016 and 2018. On May 16, 2021 it was announced that the 1983 Bucknell University graduate will be inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as part of its Class of 2021.
 
Villanova has posted 233 victories in the past eight seasons, an average of 29.1 per year. In 2020-21 the Wildcats overcame three COVID pauses and a season-ending knee injury to co-BIG EAST Player of the Year Collin Gillespie to post an 18-7 overall record. Along the way, the Wildcats captured their seventh BIG EAST regular season crown since 2013 and were ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 every week of the '20-21 campaign.
 
In January 2020 Wright was named the Associated Press men's college basketball Coach of the Decade.
 
In 2017-18, the Wildcats amassed a school record 36 victories and secured Villanova's third NCAA national championship with a 79-62 victory over Michigan on April 2, 2018. Jalen Brunson became Villanova's first consensus National Player of the Year in the modern era, joining Paul Arizin as the only VU players to earn that distinction. In 2016, Villanova defeated North Carolina 77-74 when Kris Jenkins drained a 3-pointer at the buzzer to cap a 35-5 campaign with an NCAA national title.