MJCBY: Author Speak: Dan Grunfeld

Dan Grunfeld is an accomplished writer, a Stanford University graduate, an academic All-American and All-Conference basketball selection at Stanford and someone who played professional basketball for eight seasons in top leagues around the world, including in Germany, Spain and Israel. He is also the son of Ernie Grunfeld, who played 9 years in the NBA, first for the Milwaukee Bucks, then the Kansas City Kings, and then finally with the New York Knicks. In 1976, Ernie Grunfeld won the gold medal as part of the 1976 US Olympic basketball team. After retiring, Ernie then became an executive for the Knicks, then the Bucks and ultimately the Washington Wizards. Ernie is also the only NBA player whose parents survived the Holocaust.

Dan wrote a book about his family’s history titled By the Grace of the Game: The Holocaust, a Basketball Legacy, and an Unprecedented American Dream.

This is what NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who is also Jewish, said about the book. “Through a series of remarkable stories about his family and his own personal experiences, Dan Grunfeld shines a light on basketball’s unique ability to unite people of all backgrounds. Prepare to be moved and inspired by the powerful reflections he shares in this book.”

And this is what Ray Allen, a 10-time NBA all-star, a 2-time NBA champion, a Basketball Hall of Famer, and someone who served on the board of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, said about Dan’s book: “The goals I used to set for myself in my playing days revolved around basketball. My main goal now is to spread love and human connection. I hope you feel this love as you read this one-of-a-kind story. It’s a captivating and inspiring journey, moving as it is miraculous, and I’m grateful that you’re finally able to experience it. I know it will teach you a lot about hoops, about history, and ultimately, about the humanity that binds us all together.”