Hook Me Up, Playa! by former NBA star Lawrence Funderburke warns both professional and aspiring athletes of the dark side of the limelight through interviews with close friends who are (or were) professional athletes. Funderburke exposes the near constant pressure from "hook-me-uppers", those predators targeting pro athletes looking for favors (usually money); the need to keep your eyes peeled for con artists, fraudulent investment scams, and ordinary street criminals; the cynicism that comes with believing (most often correctly) that everybody you meet wants something from you -time, money, your name, etc. Funderburke's primary interest is helping young people - athletes and non-athletes - in making the right career decisions, not based on the often overwhelming desire for instant gratification, but rather on what is in their long-term best interest. As Funderburke sees it, too many young people see professional sports as an invitation to a life-long party. And to make matters worse, a lot of kids are pushed toward a career in professional sports by obsessive parents who have their own agendas. Read More