Stockton gets personal with autobiography

Since retiring from his Hall of Fame career with the NBA’s Utah Jazz, Spokane native son John Stockton has famously kept to himself.

Sure, the television cameras – without fail – find him in his seat at McCarthey Athletic Center as he keeps an eagle eye on his son, David, and the rest of the Gonzaga University men’s basketball team.

But he’s never really been keen to talk about himself.

That’s changing this fall with the publication of his autobiography, “Assisted” (Shadow Mountian, $25.99). As he told SI.com’s Chris Mannix, “I had a lot of things I wanted to say to my children. We have car rides from sporting events, but you don’t get a chance to talk to them as much as you like. You don’t get a chance to explain things. That was probably the start of it.

“I wasn’t worried about publishing or anything else. I was just worried about doing it. That exercise was good for me.”

Spokane-area fans will have a chance to get a copy of “Assisted” signed by Stockton from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday at Auntie’s Bookstore, 402 W. Main Ave. According to Auntie’s, this is the only signing Stockton is holding in Washington.

There will be some restrictions, according to a news release from the store: Stockton will autograph one piece of memorabilia (anything except trading cards) per customer; he will not pose for photos but customers will be allowed to take pictures while moving through the line; and copies of the book must be purchased at Auntie’s and be accompanied by a receipt the day of the event.

For more information, call Auntie’s at (509) 838-0206 or visit www.auntiesbooks.com.

Carolyn Lamberson