Former Bull Hodges tells his story in Naperville

Former Chicago Bull Craig Hodges has never been shy about speaking his mind.

He's well known as a passionate voice for civil rights and says he paid a price for his willingness to speak out by being blackballed by the NBA.

Now Hodges is sharing his life story in a new book, "Long Shot: The Triumphs and Struggles of an NBA Freedom Fighter," that he'll share with fans on Friday, March 24, in Naperville.

Hodges will talk about his book and his experiences at 7 p.m. during an appearance at Anderson's Bookshop, 123 W. Jefferson Ave., in downtown Naperville.

The event is free and open to the public, but to join the book signing line you must buy a copy of "Long Shot" at Anderson's.

As a member of the 1992 world-champion Bulls, a dashiki-clad Hodges delivered a handwritten letter to President George H.W. Bush demanding he do more to address racism and economic inequality.

Hodges also was a vocal union activist, initiated a boycott against Nike, and spoke out forcefully against police brutality in the wake of the Rodney King beating.

But his outspokenness cost him. In the prime of his career, after 10 NBA seasons, Hodges says he was blackballed for using his platform as a professional athlete to stand up for justice.

In his memoir, Hodges shares the stories - including encounters with Nelson Mandela, Coretta Scott King, Jim Brown, R. Kelly, Michael Jordan, and others - from his lifelong fight for equality for African Americans.

During his NBA career, Hodges led the league in three-point shooting percentage three times. He won two championships with the Bulls in 1991 and 1992, and was a three-time Three Point Contest champion at All-Star weekend.