Courtside: 40 Years of NBA Photography

40 years of stunning basketball photography—both on the court and off—from the photographer who has defined the visual soul of the NBA.

As one of the National Basketball Association's premier photographers, Nathaniel S. Butler hasn't just witnessed history; he’s captured its DNA. From the gravity-defying grace of Michael Jordan and the precision of Kobe Bryant to the championship reign of Steph Curry and the arrival of Victor Wembanyama, Butler has held a front-row seat to the league’s most transformative era.

Courtside: 40 Years of NBA Photography is a spectacular monograph spanning the first four decades of Butler’s illustrious career. Moving beyond the high-speed action of the hardwood, this collection offers a rare, intimate look at the legends behind the jerseys.

It features iconic game-winners, like Ray Allen’s corner three, alongside quiet, behind-the-scenes portraits of the NBA50 and NBA75 teams and the titans who built the modern game—from Bill Russell to LeBron James.

More than just a sports book, Courtside is a cultural history of the NBA’s rise to global dominance. Featuring exclusive commentary from basketball icons across generations—including Patrick Ewing, Steph Curry, Jeremy Lin, and Victor Wembanyama—this is the ultimate insider’s perspective for fans, historians, and photography enthusiasts alike.

Both a stunning visual centerpiece and an intimate record of sporting history, Courtside is the definitive volume for anyone who lives and breathes the culture of the NBA.

• Authors: Nathaniel Butler, Dave McMenamin
• Forewords by Adam Silver and Patrick Ewing
• Afterword by Spike Lee
• 288 pages
• 200 full-color illustrations throughout
• Size: W 9.4 x H 11.2 x D 1.2 in
• Hardcover with dust jacket
• ISBN: 9781419762840
• 4 lb

About the Authors

Nathaniel Butler, one of the founding members of NBA Photos, has been photographing and documenting basketball since 1984. From the early years of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird to Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Steph Curry, Butler has had a courtside seat for the best the NBA has had to offer. For the past 40 years, Butler’s imagery of the sport has been on posters in childhood bedrooms and on trading cards treasured by collectors and is now shared with millions across the NBA’s various social media platforms.

Dave McMenamin is an NBA reporter, New York Times bestselling coauthor of Return of the King: LeBron James, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Greatest Comeback in NBA History, and contributor to several ESPN platforms, including ESPN.com, ESPN Radio, NBA Today, and SportsCenter.