“Coach Wooden was a humble, private man who
selflessly gave up his life to make other people’s lives better…
He gave us the necessary tools to overcome the
adversity and obstacles that he knew from the beginning
would always be in our way.”

~ Bill Walton

Steve Jamison is a bestselling author who is considered to be the preeminent authority on the life, leadership, and legacy of former UCLA men’s basketball coach John Wooden. In the preface to the 1979 book Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court, which he co-authored with Coach Wooden, Jamison wrote these words:

“Coach Wooden is pure of heart, modest, trusting,
humble, understated, serene, without pretense
or hidden agenda, sincere, straightforward,
intelligent, quick, confident, and filled with such
profound human decency and tremendous
inner strength that it is humbling.”

Wow! Could anyone possibly live up to such a depiction? The answer is a definitive “Yes.” In fact, these are just a few of the positive traits which have been used to describe the man who was so much more than just a college basketball coach. Yes, UCLA won ten National Championships during the Wooden era, and yes, his teams had an 88-game winning streak in the early ‘70s, yet these achievements pale in comparison to the profound difference he made in the lives of the young men he coached.

I had the pleasure of meeting Coach Wooden in June 1974. One of my jobs at that time was serving as the liaison between Bellarmine College Preparatory in San José and various organizations who rented the school facilities, particularly the Bellarmine dormitory where I lived. One of the first groups to occupy the dorm that summer was the Wooden-Sharman Basketball Camp. Coach Wooden collaborated with Bill Sharman, the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers at that time, to offer a ten-day program for young boys to improve their basketball skills. 

One particular morning, when I went to the dining hall for an early breakfast, I was surprised to find that Coach Wooden had arrived before me and was already seated enjoying his meal. I got my breakfast in the kitchen and walked out to the dining area. Given that he was the only other person in the large hall, I asked if I could join him at his table. He kindly agreed.

In less than an hour of conversation, I became a fan of Coach Wooden. In fact, I would even say I became a protégé of the legendary coach, even though we never met again after that week. He was quite comfortable sharing the stories about experiences he had endured and lessons he had learned which had changed his life for the better. Before he checked-out at the end of the week, he provided me with a handout on the mechanics of free throw shooting, a copy of his Pyramid of Success, and a desire to learn more about this amazing man.

Even though our paths never crossed after that summer, I have always considered Coach Wooden to be a valued mentor. I’ve read (and re-read) several books written by him and about him. I’ve listened multiple times to a TED Talk he recorded in March 2009. I have also made an effort, though often unsuccessfully, to emulate the integrity with which he lived his life. Coach Wooden was definitely one of a kind.