Artis Gilmore

FOR THE 7-FOOT SET, PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL PROVIDES MORE THAN AN OCCUPATION—IT'S A NEAR LIFE IMPERATIVE. TAKE ALL THAT AWAY, AND WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE THE LIKES OF A RETIRED MARK EATON?

Every SI Story ... Every SI Photo ... Ever SI.COM/VAULT

AFTER HE saw Dale, the 2007 documentary about his late father, Dale Earnhardt Jr. raved, "I was amazed. Blown away." Now he wants to see more of his dad on screen. Junior and Earnhardt's widow, Teresa, have, despite...

Note to athletes and coaches who believe that it don't mean a thing if you ain't got that ring: Cherish your championship, because the jewelry that goes with it can suddenly disappear.

Hockey players, among all athletes, have the coolest way of entering a game, hopping over the boards with one hand, like Steve McQueen getting into a convertible. But basketball is forever, and so players are often...