Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court

“Why Did Wooden Win?”

There is no area of basketball in which I am a genius. None. Tactically and strategically I’m just average, and this is not offering false modesty.

We won national championships while I was coaching at UCLA because I was above average in analyzing players, getting them to fill roles as part of a team, paying attention to fundamentals and details, and working well with others, both those under my supervision and those whose supervision I was under. Additionally, I enjoyed very hard work.

There is nothing fancy about these qualities. They have wide application and equal effectiveness in any team endeavor anywhere. If there is any mystery as to why UCLA won ten national championships while I was the coach, that may clear it ...