They dazzle us with spectacular athletic feats. They generate millions of dollars for the NBA and their teams. They inspire adulation. But underneath all the glitz, money, and alley-oops is a rash of lawlessness that is gripping the NBA.

Based on a first-of-its-kind investigation into the criminal histories of 177 players from the 2001-2002 season, Out of Bounds shows that an alarming four out of every ten NBA players have a police record involving a serious crime.

With graphic accounts of physical and sexual violence and other outrageous conduct by players, Out of Bounds takes readers inside the culture that encourages such criminal behavior and exposes the hidden yet critically vital role that lawyers, agents, and fame play in insulating criminally accused players from accountability.

Jeff Benedict, an expert on athletes and crime, draws on exhaustive research, including criminal-background checks, documents from law-enforcement agencies, courts, and private attorneys, and more than 400 interviews, naming more than 250 people, including many prominent NBA players.

Out of Bounds will forever change how we look at the NBA and its stars who live above the law.