Out of print for more than 30 years, now available for the first time as an eBook, this is the controversial story of John Wooden's first 25 years and first 8 NCAA Championships as UCLA Head Basketball Coach. Notre Dame Coach Digger Phelps said, "I used this book as an inspiration for the biggest win of my career when we ended UCLA's all-time 88-game winning streak in 1974."

Compiled with more than 40 hours of interviews with Coach Wooden, learn about the man behind the coach. Click the Book to read the players telling their stories in their own words. This is the book that UCLA Athletic Director J.D. Morgan tried to ban.

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Fast Break Basketball

by Tony Medley

6/7/2009 6:41:03 PM

 I never thought I’d see a worse-coached basketball team that the UCLA 2007-08 team. That was a team that was born for the fastbreak. It had the best rebounding, outlet-passing center since Bill Walton in Kevin Love, two fast guards, and two fast forwards. Yet they ran a fast break like they were the keystone cops. Clearly, they never ran a 3 on 2 or 2 on 1 drill in practice, so when they did accidentally fall into a fast break, generally the guy with the ball took it all the way, with generally disastrous consequences. Running a 3 on 2 fast break is breathtakingly simple. You get the ball to the middle. He dribbles to the free throw line. If someone contests him, he passes to the wing that’s open. If no one contests him he goes as far as he can and takes a short jumper. That was too much for UCLA to master (to give the players credit, though, it’s up to the coach and he apparently never saw a fast break in his life).

 But that was before I watched the Orlando Magic. This is another team that was born to fast break, with the best all-around center in decades, a guy who dominates the boards, and a bunch of racehorses, but they don’t have a clue how to fast break. Just a few seconds ago they had a 4 on 2 and ended up with the ball outside, only luckily seeing a man who happened to be open under the basket. Just before they had a 2 on 1 and didn’t even get off a shot.

 I got so I couldn’t watch that UCLA team. I still think the Magic has a great shot against the Lakers (I picked them to win, even though I’m for the Lakers), but the way they run the fast break should be a felony.