Hardcourt Diplomats: Basketball's Role in Post-Soviet Europe

When the Soviet Union collapsed, new nations emerged from its shadow searching for identity, unity, and pride. For millions across Eastern Europe and Eurasia, basketball offered far more than entertainment-it became a language of hope, renewal, and diplomacy. Hardcourt Diplomats traces the extraordinary journey of basketball in the post-Soviet world, from its Soviet legacy to its role in forging new cultures, communities, and international relationships.

This sweeping narrative follows the game's grassroots revival in Lithuania and Latvia, the emergence of Serbian and Russian powerhouses, the battles fought in iconic arenas, and the global journeys of players and coaches. Blending political history, sporting drama, and social transformation, the book reveals how basketball united divided peoples, became a form of soft power, and gave voice to the dreams of nations in transition. Drawing on stories of iconic clubs, unforgettable matches, and legendary personalities, Hardcourt Diplomats uncovers how a simple game became a symbol of resilience and reinvention-reshaping not only sport, but society itself.