John Wooden

The legendary American basketball player and coach began excelling in basketball at age 14, leading his high school team to the state championship finals three years in a row. He began making a name for himself in college ball at Purdue University, becoming the first player to be named a three-time consensus All-American. After college, Wooden began playing basketball professionally while teaching and coaching high and college teams, achieving incredible coaching successes at Indiana State University and UCLA. Wooden was also known for his “Woodenisms” – inspirational sayings that applied to basketball and life. He died in 2010 of natural causes at age 99.