In the history of college basketball, no coach or school has come close to John Wooden’s 10 NCAA championships.
Unassuming throughout his Hall of Fame years as a player and coach, Wooden’s life was just as awe-inspiring as his records.
“We’ve lost a giant in all of sport with the passing of Coach Wooden,” said Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, who himself has won four national championships. “Quite likely, his accomplishments as a college basketball coach will never be matched. Neither will the impact he had on his players or the greater basketball community. Many have called Coach Wooden the ‘gold standard’ of coaches. I believe he was the ‘gold standard’ of people and carried himself with uncommon grace, dignity and humility.”
Wooden died Friday night at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, where he had been hospitalized since May 26. He was 99.
Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim said that, when he thinks of a basketball coach, “the only one I ever thought of was Coach Wooden.”
“He had a great life and helped so many coaches until well in his 90s. Every time I talked to him he would give me some words of advice. He’s the best of all time,” Boeheim said. “There will never be another like him, and you can’t say that about too many people. … I can’t tell you what he’s done for the game of basketball, and it’s not just the wins. It’s the attitude and the way he carried himself. I just can’t say enough about him.”
Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun, too, spoke more of the man than the coach.
