Are You Kidding Me

–What: Aaron Bracy’s book, Are You Kidding Me? The Incredible Inspiring Story of Allen Iverson and the 2001 Philadelphia 76ers (Brookline) is scheduled to be published on February 19, 2027.

–Preorder here: Amazon, Big5Hoops, Barnes & Noble, Brookline

-Back Cover Reviews

Are You Kidding Me Endorsements

“It’s hard to imagine an athlete more competitive, influential, talented, and provocative as Allen Iverson. Aaron Bracy does a masterful job not only of laying out what made Iverson special but also of tracing the arc of the dogged Philadelphia 76ers team that he willed to the 2001 NBA Finals. Are You Kidding Me? is a lively snapshot of where professional basketball was at the turn of this past century.” – Luke Epplin, bestselling author of Moses and the Doctor

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“No kidding around, this is a must-read for any sports fan. Aaron captures the excitement, the energy and especially the fever the 2001 team induced with fans in Philadelphia. Reading this book not only takes you back, but lets you experience that magical run once again.”  – Amy Fadool, NBC Sports Philadelphia

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“Are You Kidding Me? takes readers inside the 2000–01 Philadelphia 76ers, a hard-nosed, fearless team led by the electrifying Allen Iverson. They captured the heart of a city and produced one of the most memorable Finals runs in NBA history. Bracy’s masterful retelling of their magical season is as mesmerizing as an Iverson crossover.” – Paul Knepper, author of Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet

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“With a combination of sharp reporting and deft writing, Aaron Bracy compellingly captures the joy ride that was the Sixers’ 2001 season. Are You Kidding Me? is a tale well told of one team chock full of colorful characters that provided the city’s fan base with one of its favorite seasons.” – Glen Macnow, longtime Philadelphia radio host and sportswriter

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“This was a phenomenal read, extremely detailed. Are You Kidding Me? took me back to the 2000–2001 76ers. It mentioned a lot of things the public didn’t fully know or had forgotten. This is a must-read.” – Keith Pompey, longtime NBA & 76ers reporter

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“The 2000–01 Sixers are one of the most beloved, thrilling teams in Philadelphia sports history, and they’ve long deserved a deep dive into what made them special. With Are You Kidding Me?, his diligently researched examination of that magical season with Allen Iverson, Larry Brown, and the rest of that unforgettable group, Aaron Bracy honors them.” – Mike Sielski, sports columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer, and author of The Rise: Kobe Bryant and the Pursuit of Immortality 

-Special Series: “The Making of Are You Kidding Me?”

Part 1: The Idea and Proposal

Click HERE to read on Bracy Sports Media on Substack: https://bracysportsmedia.substack.com/p/behind-the-scenes-the-making-of-are.

Click HERE to listen on the Bracy Sports Media podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3cZMVRIP3aUYQkY1paC5W1?si=iW3vfQemQLq2B2-D4QcjmQ

Click HERE to watch on Bracy Sports Media on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ysCsWQT7FdY?si=x0pwUbDlXv7h7ZrA

Part 2: The Interview Process

Click HERE to read on Bracy Sports Media on Substack: https://bracysportsmedia.substack.com/p/behind-the-scenes-part-2-the-making

Click HERE to listen on the Bracy Sports Media podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1AzWrBquBmgCd9llMDtchm?si=c8IkH0WMTL6-tb2UhYzD5A

Click HERE to watch on Bracy Sports Media on YouTube: https://youtu.be/n88oqfibLiE?si=5IifiNn8dZqOC4qI

–Cover:

–Book summary:

During the 2000–01 National Basketball Association (NBA) season, Allen Iverson and the 76ers captured the hearts and minds of sports fans in Philadelphia and nationwide with a hustling, underdog style of play. Iverson, one of the league’s top scorers in spite of being one of its shortest players, became a generational basketball superstar and cultural icon with a captivating persona—both on and off the court. At times, he clashed with legendary Hall of Fame head coach Larry Brown, especially early in their tenure together in Philadelphia. But the duo overcame their differences, and the 76ers surmounted many challenges to reach the 2001 NBA Finals against Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, and the ultimately too-powerful Los Angeles Lakers.

This book details the people and personalities who were part of one of the most memorable seasons in Philadelphia sports history, including coaches, players, management, opponents, and many others. How did Brown brilliantly sculpt a team of blue collar, role players who were willing to do all of the dirty work without any of the glory around the offensively gifted, but, at times, rebellious Iverson? After nearly being traded prior to the 2000–01 season, how did Iverson make changes, on and off the court, to finally fit into Brown’s system? Why did sports fans, both in Philadelphia and around the country, fall in love with this team—and stay in love with them all these years later?

Deeply reported and researched and featuring interviews with more than 50 people, this book sheds light on the 2000–01 Philadelphia 76ers in a way that has never been done before. It is an inspiring reminder of the great lengths that effort, determination, and teamwork can take you, and once again will have readers broadly smiling and loudly chanting, “LET’S! GO! SIX-ERS!”

–About the Author:

Aaron Bracy is an award-winning sportswriter with 30 years of experience as a sports journalist in the Philadelphia market, beginning as an undergraduate at Saint Joseph’s University, where he wrote for the student newspaper and broadcast games on the student radio station. He then covered high school, college, and professional sports for the Main Line Times, Trenton Times, Courier–Post, and The Trentonian before leaving journalism full time for a career in education.

Since 2008, Bracy has been a freelancer for the Associated Press’s coverage of the Philadelphia 76ers, Flyers, Eagles, Phillies, and college basketball. His website, Big5Hoops.com, is a leading source for coverage of Drexel, La Salle, Penn, Saint Joseph’s, Temple, and Villanova, which comprise the Big 5. Are You Kidding Me? The Incredible, Inspiring Story of Allen Iverson and the 2001 Philadelphia 76ers (Brookline) is Bracy’s second book. His first book, A Soaring Season: The Incredible, Inspiring Story of the 2003–04 Saint Joseph’s Hawks (Brookline), was published in March 2025.

Stories/Reviews/Media

–7/13/26: Bracy Sports Media Newsletter: INSIDE LOOK: Here is the process for returning edited manuscript for my second book

I have never run a marathon, but I imagine the experience might be similar to writing a book.

Long, lonely hours of preparation—training for a marathon; research and interviews for a book.

Long, lonely hours of the race—running for a marathon; writing and revising for a book.

Click HERE to read entire story.

Watch video associated with the story on Bracy Sports Media YouTube page below.

–5/8/26: Bracy Sports Media Newsletter: INSIDE SCOOP: Story behind the title of my 2001 76ers book

Before I typed a single word or did a minute of research, I had the title for the book I wanted to write about the 2001 Philadelphia 76ers:

Are You Kidding Me?

Those words, as anyone around during that magical season would recall, were synonymous with that memorable 2001 team and the historic run to the NBA Finals thanks to 76ers radio play-by-play broadcaster Tom McGinnis.

Click HERE to read entire story.