John Wooden Quotes

A collection of quotes by John Wooden.

John Wooden (1910-2010) was a renowned American basketball player and coach, widely regarded as one of the greatest figures in the sport. Born on October 14, 1910, in Hall, Indiana, Wooden's love for basketball was ignited during his high school years, where he starred on the team and demonstrated exceptional skills on the court. He continued his basketball career at Purdue University, becoming a three-time consensus All-American player and leading his team to the national title in 1932.

In 1948, Wooden began his coaching career, initially coaching at Indiana State University before joining the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1949. It was during his tenure as the head coach of the UCLA Bruins that Wooden achieved extraordinary success, establishing a dynasty that is unrivaled in the history of college basketball. He guided the Bruins to an incredible 10 NCAA championships in just 12 seasons, including an unprecedented seven consecutive titles from 1967 to 1973.

Aside from his remarkable on-court achievements, Wooden was known for his strong emphasis on character development and life skills. He believed in the importance of teamwork, discipline, and integrity, and his teachings went beyond basketball, seeking to shape his players into better individuals both on and off the court. Throughout his coaching career, Wooden prioritized the values of hard work, respect, and selflessness, which went on to inspire countless athletes, coaches, and individuals across the world.

John Wooden's impact on the sport of basketball, and his unwavering commitment to shaping the lives of young athletes, solidified his legacy as one of the greatest coaches in sports history. He passed away on June 4, 2010, but his principles and teachings continue to resonate with athletes and aspiring coaches to this day.

Discipline yourself, and others won't need to.

Discipline yourself, and others won't need to.

It is most difficult, in my mind, to separate any success, w

It is most difficult, in my mind, to separate any success, whether it bein your profession, your family, or as in my case, in basketball, fromreligion.

Success is never final, failure is never fatal. It's courage

Success is never final, failure is never fatal. It's courage that counts.

Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the

Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.

Today is the only day. Yesterday is gone.

Today is the only day. Yesterday is gone.

Inspirational Day Today Yesterday

How many of us have conflicts with someone else- and how man

How many of us have conflicts with someone else- and how many of us pray for that person? We have individuals with whom we are competitive, or whom we dislike or have a quarrel with; but very few of us have true enemies in the martial sense. And yet if Lincoln could pray fervently- and contemporary reports indicate he did- for the people who were opposing him, how much more can we do for someone we just find a little irritating?

Love Enemies Prayer Lincoln

I was built up from my dad more than anyone else.

I was built up from my dad more than anyone else.

You cannot attain and maintain physical condition unless you

You cannot attain and maintain physical condition unless you are morally and mentally conditioned. And it is impossible to be in moral condition unless you are spiritually conditioned. I always told my players that our team condition depended on two factors -- how hard they worked on the floor during practice and how well they behaved between practices.

Be prepared and be honest.

Be prepared and be honest.

You can't live a perfect day without doing something for som

You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.

It isn't what you do, but how you do it.

It isn't what you do, but how you do it.

Never mistake activity for achievement.

Never mistake activity for achievement.

Success & Failure

Don't mistake activity for achievement.

Don't mistake activity for achievement.

Success & Failure

Stubborness we deprecate,Firmness we condone,The former is o

Stubborness we deprecate,Firmness we condone,The former is our neighbors trait,The latter is our own.

Be true to yourself, help others, make each day your masterp

Be true to yourself, help others, make each day your masterpiece, make friendship a fine art, drink deeply from good books - especially the Bible, build a shelter against a rainy day, give thanks for your blessings and pray for guidance every day.

Art Good Friendship Thankful

Defense is a definite part of the game, and a great part of

Defense is a definite part of the game, and a great part of defense is learning to play it without fouling.

It's what you learn after you know it all that counts.

It's what you learn after you know it all that counts.

I like to spend time in the past, with the things that have

I like to spend time in the past, with the things that have been important to me.

No one can really honestly be the very best, no one.

No one can really honestly be the very best, no one.

Although I wanted my players to work to win, I tried to conv

Although I wanted my players to work to win, I tried to convince them they had always won when they had done their best.

Winning Winners