McPherson mural inspires book about 1936 U.S basketball team

When Andrew Maraniss, a New York Times bestselling author, first came to McPherson for the first time, he couldn’t help but notice a giant mural painted outside of the McPherson Library. It was the ” McPherson Global Refiners” with the caption that says”1st Ever Olympic Basketball Champions—1936.” Once he saw the mural, he began working on his new book, “Games of Deception.”

“I thought that was something really cool to see something that happened in 1936 is still being celebrated in town,” Maraniss said. “It’s a pretty cool thing for a small town in the middle of Kansas mean so much to the history of basketball. It is where the Olympic basketball, the Dream Team, current players like Lebron James, Kevin Durant. They wouldn’t have the opportunity if not the guys from McPherson first.”