Book cover for Out of Bounds: Inside the NBA's Culture of Rape, Violence, and Crime by Jeff Benedict

Out of Bounds

Inside the NBA's Culture of Rape, Violence, and Crime

2009 Released
4-5 Hours
★ 3.42 103 ratings
Audiobook Unavailable
Hardback Unavailable
HarperISBN 9780061751462

The top national expert on athletes and crime and the author of Pros and Cons brings us a controversial in-depth look at criminals in the NBA

The Kobe Bryant rape case and the arrest of Baylor basketball player Carlton Dotson for allegedly murdering teammate Patrick Dennehy, has galvanized the attention of the public and the press on athletes and crime. Jeff Benedict, with his background in research regarding professional athletes and crime, uses these cases as a springboard into an unprecedented look at criminals who play professional basketball.

In this raw exposé, Benedict evaluates every single current player in the NBA and his criminal history, revealing new and startling information about NBA players, the crimes they commit, the league’s tolerance and complacency in these instances, as well as the manner in which these cases are handled or disposed of in the justice system.


Based on thousands of police reports and hundreds of interviews, this landmark sports exposé uncovers:


  • True Crime Reporting: A meticulously researched investigation based on over 12,000 police and court records that goes beyond headlines to reveal the unreported stories of crime in the NBA.
  • A Culture of Impunity: An explosive look at the league’s tolerance for criminal behavior and the powerful handlers—agents and lawyers—who work to conceal it.
  • Violence Against Women: Unflinching accounts of assault and domestic abuse, exposing a pattern of behavior often shielded from public view.
  • Celebrity Justice System: The groundbreaking finding that 40% of players have been charged with a serious crime, and an inside look at how the system often fails to hold them accountable.

Jeff Benedict

Jeff Benedict conducted the first national study on sexual assault and athletes. He has published three books on athletes and crime, including a blistering exposé on the NFL, Pros and Cons: The Criminals Who Play in the NFL, and Public Heroes, Private Felons: Athletes and Crimes Against Women. He is a lawyer and an investigative journalist who has written five books.

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