Statue of legendary coach John Wooden to grace renovated Pauley Pavilion
John Wooden
When Pauley Pavilion reopens its doors next season, the newly renovated arena will feature a statue of the legendary coach credited with transforming UCLA into a basketball powerhouse, John Wooden.
"We envision it as a gathering place for members of the Bruin community and a destination point for all visitors to the university," said UCLA Director of Athletics Daniel G. Guerrero. "Pauley Pavilion is and always will be the house that Coach Wooden built. This statue is a most fitting tribute to celebrate the legacy of an incredible man."
The statue will adorn the new plaza on Pauley's north side, greeting students and fans along Bruin Walk. It is being funded by a generous donation from alumni and UCLA supporters Jim and Carol Collins.
The monument will be crafted by the head sculptor at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Blair Buswell, who has created busts there for 25 years. His studio, recently visited by Guerrero and others, contains life-size replicas of his other works, including statues of golf champion Jack Nicklaus, baseball hall of famer Mickey Mantle and football legend Merlin Olsen.
At UCLA, Wooden's teams won a remarkable seven consecutive National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championships between 1967 and 1973 and 10 titles in his final 12 seasons as head coach. At one point in the early 1970s, the Bruins won an NCAA-record 88 games in a row, including undefeated 30-0 seasons in 1971–72 and 1972–73.
Wooden retired from coaching following the 1975 season with a UCLA record of 620 wins. Only twice during his tenure did the Bruins lose home games at Pauley Pavilion, where he coached from the 1965–66 season through 1974–75 season.
After he left coaching, Wooden kept busy with basketball clinics and wrote or co-wrote several books, including "The Essential Wooden" and "Coach Wooden One-on-One." In 2003, the basketball court in Pauley Pavilion was dedicated to Wooden and his late wife, Nell.
Coach Wooden died June 4, 2010, at the age of 99. Thousands attended his memorial at Pauley, including former Bruins players Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jamaal Wilkes and Keith Erickson.
"We envision it as a gathering place for members of the Bruin community and a destination point for all visitors to the university," said UCLA Director of Athletics Daniel G. Guerrero. "Pauley Pavilion is and always will be the house that Coach Wooden built. This statue is a most fitting tribute to celebrate the legacy of an incredible man."
The statue will adorn the new plaza on Pauley's north side, greeting students and fans along Bruin Walk. It is being funded by a generous donation from alumni and UCLA supporters Jim and Carol Collins.
The monument will be crafted by the head sculptor at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Blair Buswell, who has created busts there for 25 years. His studio, recently visited by Guerrero and others, contains life-size replicas of his other works, including statues of golf champion Jack Nicklaus, baseball hall of famer Mickey Mantle and football legend Merlin Olsen.
At UCLA, Wooden's teams won a remarkable seven consecutive National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championships between 1967 and 1973 and 10 titles in his final 12 seasons as head coach. At one point in the early 1970s, the Bruins won an NCAA-record 88 games in a row, including undefeated 30-0 seasons in 1971–72 and 1972–73.
Wooden retired from coaching following the 1975 season with a UCLA record of 620 wins. Only twice during his tenure did the Bruins lose home games at Pauley Pavilion, where he coached from the 1965–66 season through 1974–75 season.
After he left coaching, Wooden kept busy with basketball clinics and wrote or co-wrote several books, including "The Essential Wooden" and "Coach Wooden One-on-One." In 2003, the basketball court in Pauley Pavilion was dedicated to Wooden and his late wife, Nell.
Coach Wooden died June 4, 2010, at the age of 99. Thousands attended his memorial at Pauley, including former Bruins players Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jamaal Wilkes and Keith Erickson.