Reactions to death of John Wooden
. . . Their wordsReaction to John Wooden's passing:
"He was more like a parent than a coach . . . he was a disciplinarian. We learned all about those aspects of life that most kids want to skip over. He wouldn't let us do that."
"He always knew what to say. Even in the heyday of winning and losing, you could almost discuss anything with him."
- former UCLA star Jamaal Wilkes
"Many have called Coach Wooden the 'gold standard' of coaches. I believe he was the 'gold standard' of people . . . He was one of the great leaders - in any profession - of his generation."
- Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski
"He's the greatest coach in college basketball if not all basketball from the standpoint of all of us trying to emulate what he's done . . . if he's not as important as Dr. Naismith, he's right next to him."
- Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun
"When I think of a basketball coach the only one I ever thought of was Coach Wooden.''
- Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim
"There was the common affinity we shared for Purdue and UCLA and that forged a unique bond . . . I turned to him for perspective at every critical juncture over the past 20 years." - St. John's coach Steve Lavin,
who coached at UCLA and Purdue
"He was a man of humility who embodied the best in character and values, and exemplified what coaching is all about . . . His legacy will endure forever."
- Florida coach Billy Donovan
"I always admired his gentle demand for nothing but excellence and his student-athletes delivered. He created role models on and off the court . . . For all of his successes, he was such a humble man."
- Tennessee women's coach Pat Summitt
