First published 2017
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar examines his relationship with UCLA coach John Wooden that began when Abdul-Jabbar was an 18-year-old New York high school player named Lew Alcindor. Abdul-Jabbar chose UCLA based on Wooden's winning record and helped secure three consecutive NCAA championships. The author traces how their initial coach-player dynamic developed into a personal friendship that lasted fifty years. Abdul-Jabbar describes Wooden's teaching methods, from proper sock placement during first practice to the coach's Pyramid of Success philosophy. The book details how Wooden provided guidance during the Civil Rights era when black athletes faced racism, and continued offering support through personal losses and life challenges. Abdul-Jabbar credits Wooden's mentorship with enabling both his professional basketball achievements and personal growth. The memoir includes previously unpublished stories and explores how the two men shared cultural, religious, and family perspectives across their different backgrounds.
Genres: biography, historical, friendship, 20th-century, african-american, autobiography, biography-memoir, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, mentor-mentee
Setting: UCLA, New York
Period: Civil Rights Era
304 pages · Hardcover · Grand Central Publishing