Coach Wooden and Me: Our 50-Year Friendship On and Off the Court

Kareem Abdul Jabbar is one of our most intelligent athletes ever and has always followed a different drummer. Now a committed author with books and opinion pieces in papers like The NY Times. As a fan of John Wooden I had to read this book with low expectations. They were FAR exceeded. Jabbar is a very good writer and has quite a story to tell. How could a thin, tall athlete with left leanings maintain such an intimate relationship with a much older, conservative MidWesterner? How could these two opposing personalities meld until Wooden was in his 90s? And how could this amazing athlete write such a touching, compassionate story of the love and respect shared between Jabbar and Wooden? It's all here in these pages. Abdul-Jabbar was a GREAT basketball player, clearly intelligent. Most don't get a great chance at a second career. But Jabbar is a great writer/activist that deserves our attention. He's led an interesting, reflective life. Truly a special book that I could not recommend higher.

My eyes filled with tears at the end of this book. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did such a fine job of capturing the profound importance of his relationship with John Wooden that I shared his grief when Coach dies in the final pages. Abdul-Jabbar always struck me as a fiercely intelligent, complex and thoughtful guy. But his often stoic public demeanor prevented me from realizing how deeply sensitive, introspective and warm he is as well. This wonderful book put an end to that. It is brimful with emotion, often self-effacing but always remarkably candid and open. Both of these remarkable men factored heavily in my basketball fandom. That the most important dimensions of each of them are not actually directly related to their prodigious accomplishments on the court is remarkable. That the unique and life-long friendship they forged transcends all of it is, too.

I knew Coach Wooden, his wife Nellie and daughter Nan. I've met Kareem a couple times but I don't "know" him. This book was very readable and surprisingly intimate coming from Kareem who was always quiet and not gregarious as were most of the other Wooden players I knew, and still know, from over the years. I read half the book, then while traveling across country, I listened to Kareem read the book on a CD. I eas very touched and having known Coach Wooden, I cried in several places. He was a truely wonderful man and this book shows that plus the fact that he was also human, not a saint, but a beautiful and wonderful man. I am blessed to have been part of the Bruin family during many of the years that Coach Wooden was coaching. I couldn't more highly recommend this book to anyone. It would be a terrific book for a father, mother, or parents together to read to their children or play the CD of Kareem reading it himself. There are many lessons young people coud learn from both Coach & Kareem.

My book club read this book, which is the only reason I would have read it. I'm not a sport fan, but I am a fan of memoirs and learning about relationships. Jabar is a surprisingly easy writer to read even when the topic is basketball. His style is conversational and gently revealing. I didn't know his conversion to Islam was based on spiritual reasons, not political. I didn't know Wooden put becoming a great ball player as the 5th item of what is important for his players to learn. It was a delightful book full of surprising information about Wooden and Jabar.

This book will have you in tears by the end, and makes you feel as thought you know Coach Wooden yourself.

You might think the book would be lightweight and predictable, but the story goes beyond expectations and really resonates in today's world of intolerance. The book also elevated me spiritually. Kareem's skill as a writer, and hard work to get at the truth of his relationship with Coach Wooden is evident. I first read about Coach Wooden in the 1980s and came to appreciate his work ethic, honesty, and leadership. And I also had a lot of respect for Kareem, first watching him play for the Lakers, and then his later success as a historian and writer. So, I knew the book would be worthwhile, but it went beyond those expectations: two people from different races, different religions, and different parts of the country, several decades in age difference, and they come together with mutual respect for each other, a teacher and his student, and both learn from each other for a lifetime. I definitely feel inspired and enriched after reading this book.

Having grown up during the UCLA heyday ('60-"70s), this book brought back a lot of memories for me. That's especially true because I was a student at and a huge Memphis fan. Kareem was a phenomenal player and Coach Wooden, a great teacher and man. I loved the fact the two of them were such good friends and learned so much from one another. The bond they had was admirable and proves that people of different backgrounds and cultures can, and do, learn to be friends and respect one another, when they give it a chance. Well-written and great read whether you're a sports fan or not. It was terrific!

I am not a big basketball ball fan since the Knicks have stunk for the last 20 years. I always rooted for Larry Bird's Celtics against the Lakers. I always perceived Kareem to be arrogant. Always heard about the legend of John Wooden but heard he was kind of racist. This book was such a great read I didn't want to put it down. Have such respect for Kareem now having read this book which chronicles his growth not only as a professional basketball player but as a complex human being. Feel the same way about John Wooden after reading this. The anecdotes about the racism Kareem and other African American players faced and how an older white coach from Indiana handled it are compelling for their humanity and how he learned to adapt. This book was enjoyable and I highly recommend it.

Its hard for me to put into words how much joy I felt reading this books. Both coach wooden and Kareem are scholars of not just basketball but also life. Stories span across a critical time in human history for sports but also freedom of rights. Thank you Kareem for sharing. It would be wonderful if you could stop by London to meet some of your fans :-)

Very good account of the various stages in their relationship. Some vignettes of the Power Memorial and UCLA days, as well, including his recruitment (Alcindor, that is). I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Abdul-Jabbar and/or Wooden.

NBAレジェンドで、最近は知識人、ライター、アメリカの良心として注目されているKareem Abdul-Jabbar。NBA時代のコーチWooden氏との出会いや関係について書かれた一冊。バスケットボールについてまったく知らない私でも、十分に楽しめました。コーチと学生、友人として、2人がどう関係を築いていったのか、その時代背景とともに描かれています。終盤は、彼のコーチに対する優しいまなざしに、泣けて泣けて仕方がありませんでした。 英語は高校の教科書レベル。多読をしたい、1冊読み通してみたいと考えている高校生、大学生、もちろん一般の方にもおすすめです。

This book goes well beyond basketball. I really recommend it.

Un libro excelente, bien escrito y que narra la amistad de por vida entre uno de los mejores jugadores de la historia del baloncesto y el nombrado mejor entrenador de Estados Unidos de cualquier deporte. Una obra muy recomendable para todo aquel que quiera profundizar en una relación muy interesante que trasciende los límites de la cancha y deja muchas lecciones para la vida.