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

Wilt Teaches Me a Lesson

When Wilt Chamberlain was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers many years ago, I was invited to the press conference. One of the reporters asked him this question. “Wilt, do you think Coach Van Breda Kolff (the Lakers’ coach) can handle you? It’s been said you’re hard to handle.”

Wilt replied, “You ‘handle’ farm animals. You work with people. I am a person. I can work with anyone.”

I realized he was absolutely right; the term “handle” was inappropriate. Furthermore, I realized that two days earlier my book on teaching and coaching the techniques of basketball, Practical Modern Basketball, had been published with a section called “Handling Your Players.” I understood that needed to be corrected immediately.

I rushed home and ...