John Wooden

UCLA's basketball program has the international reputation of being No. 1. There is a major reason for that - his name is John Wooden.

Considered to be one of the finest teachers the game has ever seen, John Wooden's approach rested on the idea that basketball is a game of threes: forward, guard, center; shoot, drive, pass; ball, you, man; conditioning, skill, teamwork. The latter was taught by his coach at Purdue and forms the three blocks at the core of Wooden's "Pyramid of Success". The Pyramid is a well-known by-product of the Wooden coaching era and the principles outlined in it form the basis of Wooden's outlook on life and explain much of his success on and off the court.

The Wooden-coached UCLA teams scaled unprecedented heights that no future organization in any sport is likely to approach. Under his masterful guidance the Bruins won 20 PAC-10 championships and an unprecedented 10 national championships, including seven consecutive from 1966-73. Included in the string is one of the most amazing win streaks in all of sports, 38 straight NCAA tournament victories and the all-time NCAA consecutive winning streak of 88 games over four seasons, which included consecutive 30-0 seasons in 1971-72 and 1972-73.

Wooden concluded his 40 years as a head coach after the 1974-75 season with an 885-203 overall career win-lose record.

While most recognized for his coaching capabilities Wooden was also an outstanding player. During high school he won all-state prep honors in basketball three consecutive years, leading Martinsville High to the Indiana State title in 1927 and runner-up in 1926 and 1928. At Purdue University, he won letters in basketball and baseball his freshman year and later earned All-American honors as a guard on the basketball team from 1930-32. He captained Purdue's basketball teams of 1931 and 1932 and led the Boilermakers to two Big Ten titles and the 1932 national championship.

Recognized often for his achievements, there are two he has received that he especially proud of: being named the 1969 "Outstanding Basketball Coach of the U.S." by his denomination, the Christian Church, for his services to collegiate basketball and the community. The other is having his hometown of Martinsville, Indiana, naming a street after him and at the same time serving as the 1969 King of the famed Morgan County Fall Foliage Festival and Grand Marshal of the Festival Parade. Their high school gymnasium also bears his name.

Coach Wooden is the first person to be inducted into the National Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and coach.