He enjoyed an All-State career at Martinsville High School, and at Purdue University was called the "Indiana Rubber Man" for his suicidal dives on the court. An excellent play maker and aggressive defender, Wooden was athree-time Helms Athletic Foundation All-America and named College Player of the Year in 1932, the year he and fellow Hall of Famer Charles "Stretch" Murphy led Purdue to the national championship. Wooden, who cites Ward Lambert, his Purdue coach, as being his greatest coaching influence, enjoyed a brief but successful semi-pro career before turning his complete attention to coaching.

The John Wooden-coached UCLA teams scaled unprecedented heights that no future organization in any sport is likely to approach. Under the masterful guidance of Wooden, the Bruins set all-time records with four perfect 30-0 seasons, 88 consecutive victories, 38 straight NCAA tournament victories, 20 PAC 10 championships, and 10 national championships, including seven in a row.
Wooden first learned about basketball when he was eight years old in 1918, 27 years after the invention of basketball. With a pair of his mother's hose stuffed with rags as a ball, young John would shoot at a tomato basket his father had nailed to a wall in their barn. From this humble beginning, Wooden would later become a collegiate hero at Purdue University.

The 1932 College Player of the Year, Wooden studied the game intensely under Hall of Fame coach Ward "Piggy" Lambert. As a matter of course, John Wooden was always learning and looking for ways to become the best. After graduation, Wooden pursued a career in coaching. He spent two years at Dayton (KY) High School and nine years at South Bend (IN) Central High School, compiling a 218-42 record. Wooden then coached at Indiana State University, where he recorded a two-year 44-15 mark. Wooden's big break came in 1948, when he accepted the head coaching position at UCLA. Although he would not win his first national title until 15 years later, Wooden began laying the groundwork for what would become the dynasty of all dynasties. He believed in lengthy practices for conditioning and endless drills to perfect fundamental skills.

Considered one of the finest teachers the game has ever seen, Wooden's approach rested on the idea that basketball is a game of threes: forward, guard, center; shoot, drive, pass; ball, you, man; conditioning, skill, teamwork. The latter was taught by coach Lambert at Purdue and forms the three blocks at the core of Wooden's own Pyramid of Success. The Pyramid is a well-known by-product of the Wooden coaching era. The principles outlined in it form the basis of Wooden's outlook on life and explain much of his success on and off the court. His ability to instill these principles upon his players made Wooden a master of developing talent. His premier players included All-Americans Walt Hazzard, Gail Goodrich, Lew Alcindor, Lucius Allen, Mike Warren, Sidney Wicks, Curtis Rowe, Henry Bibby, Bill Walton, Keith Wilkes, Richard Washington and Dave Meyers.

In a highlight-filled career, Wooden's coaching genius was often challenged. One such classic game was played on Jan. 20, 1968. Wooden's number-one-ranked Bruins, led by Alcindor, lost 71-69 to second-ranked University of Houston, led by Hall of Famer Elvin Hayes. The first-ever televised collegiate game was a showcase for Wooden and college basketball. It was played before 52,693 raucous fans at the Houston Astrodome. Interestingly, on its way to the 1968 NCAA title, UCLA would avenge its loss to Houston in tournament action. John Wooden, a six-time Coach of the Year, dedicated his life to basketball. His perseverance and endurance was rewarded, as he is one of only Three people enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach.