With NBA All-Star Game festivities starting to overtake the city, much is being made of the fact that the entire country will be watching Denver this week. History Professor Dolph Grundman believes the future of basketball is even bigger. "The next step will be franchises that are truly international. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see an NBA team in Madrid or Milan."

Grundman is author of the recently released "The Golden Age of Amateur Basketball: The AAU Tournament, 1921-1968" (University of Nebraska Press). He will discuss and sign his book at 1 p.m. Friday at the LoDo Tattered Cover, 16th and Wynkoop.

In his book, Grundman analyzes the early game and explores the rivalries between corporations for amateur dominance and the competition between the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association for representation in Olympic basketball. He also questions just how amateur "amateur" basketball really was and explores the reasons for the demise of post-collegiate amateur basketball and the rise of the National Basketball Association.

Since the 1960s, there have been two significant developments in basketball, Grundman believes. "One is the opening of doors to African American players. The second is the fact that it is now truly an international game."

For more information about Grundman's book go to http://unp.unl.edu/bookinfo/4623.html