John Wooden, R.I.P.

The great John Wooden has died.


Much will be written about his extraordinary success as the basketball coach at UCLA. In my opinion, his book, Wooden on Leadership, is one of the best leadership books ever written. From the Fox News article:

The bespectacled former high school teacher ended up at UCLA almost by accident. Wooden was awaiting a call from the University of Minnesota for its head coaching job and thought he had been passed over when it didn't come. In the meantime, UCLA called, and he accepted the job.

Minnesota officials called later that night, saying they couldn't get through earlier because of a snowstorm, and offered him the job. Though Wooden wanted it more than the UCLA job, he told them he already had given UCLA his word.