I love sports (except American football) but typically don't read sports books. Not sure why, I guess I don't see many I'm interested in. Goodreads says I've read five sports books so far. After I read Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Black Cop's Kid earlier this year I thought I'd check out another of his books as I thought he was a really good writer, and had a very interesting life. Coach Wooden and Me was about as good as a sports book could get, and it's one of my favorite nonfiction reads of this year. The title mentions their friendship on an off the court, but they only spent three years together on the court so there is a lot of post-UCLA remembrances.

As the title suggests, this book is all about the unlikely friendship between two men who happen to be the considered by many the greatest in their respective fields - basketball coach and basketball player. Wooden is considered the best college basketball coach of all time, and Kareem one of the best NBA players, and maybe the best college player ever. Kareem still holds a number of all time NBA records, including most points scored (LeBron James will pass him later this year, however), and is considered the greatest center of all time. Kareem is also known for his writing, and is articulate and insightful, and does a fantastic job writing (and narrating the audiobook) about the friendship between he and Wooden.

Given their backgrounds the two seem like sort of an odd couple. Wooden was a conservative Christian from Indiana, very cerebral and straight-laced. Kareem grew up in Harlem NY and came to UCLA to play basketball for Wooden during the turbulent mid-to-late 1960s. He became an activist for racial equality and converted to Islam. You would think their paths would grow apart after Kareem graduated from UCLA and was drafted by Milwaukee, but they kept in touch and their friendship continued to grow. In 1975 Milwaukee traded Kareem to the Lakers and the two were near each other again and started spending more time together. The stories of how the two of them supported each other through the good and bad in life over the decades, right up until Wooden's death in 2010, is often touching and poignant. This book gave me the feels more than I expected it to.

One of my favorite scenes in the book takes place at one of Kareem's autograph signings in Virginia in 2012, two years after Wooden passed away. One of the attendees came up to his table with a composite photo - one photo was of Kareem and Wooden in 1966 and one photo was Kareem and Wooden in 2007. The 1966 picture features Wooden in a suit and tie and Kareem in his UCLA practice uniform standing at center court at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion, with Wooden instructing a watching Kareem. The 2007 photo, also taken at Pauley Pavilion, shows Kareem holding a frail Wooden's hand as they walk off the court after an UCLA basketball game which they both attended. Wooden is 97 years old, wearing a suit, and has a cane in the other hand. It was the last time they were ever together at Pauley. Kareem had never seen the two pictures together. He had to take a minute and collect himself emotionally as he realized that the two pictures perfectly bookended their long friendship. He delved in to the context of the two photos in detail, like they were taken yesterday; it put a lump in my throat.

There is so much goodness in this six hour book. I enjoyed having Kareem narrate the audiobook. And kudos for Audible for including a pdf file of photos.

Good. Interesting even though I'm not a big basketball girl.

Gosh darn it. This book gave me all of the feels, and I am so glad that Kareem wrote it. The title is pretty simple and straight forward: this is a book about Kareem's long relationship with the great John Wooden. It gives insight into both of these men who, the author argues, are far more complex than they may appear outwardly. I love hearing about their lunch and dinner dates and the quality time spent watching sports on tv. J Dub is the dad that perhaps Kareem wished he had and once you get to the chapter where Wooden passes away, I DARE ANYONE to have dry eyes!

(audio version)

I don't know where to start.... Basketball, religion, racism, education, literature, living the "good" life, how to be a friend. I laughed out loud several times, gasped with shock, choked up with tears. Such great stories, told with tremendous love and respect.

I grew up going to basketball games at Pauley Pavilion (while Coach Wooden was coaching) and attended UCLA as an undergrad, so I know some of this story, certainly was influenced by Coach in small ways. To hear his player and long-time dear friend reveal so much more about him, about his quiet acts of compassion and kindness, his genuine courage, was incredibly inspiring. This book inspires me to be a better human.

In case you wonder how much of an MBA fan you need to be... You actually don’t need to know much about basketball to enjoy this book. The book is about a deep relationship from a basketball coach to lifelong mentor. The story is moving and the book is quite unique in that it looks at a relationship over 50 years. Not just a fragment of life wrapped with a happily-ever-after ending.

I am giving 5 stars because it really blew my expectations away. A friend gifted this book to me. There is no way based on my profile and proclaimed “interests” that an Amazon algorithm would have thought this was a good choice for me. In fact, I didn’t even know who coach Wooden was and I have little interest in sports.

Despite my lack of interest, I found this book intimate, moving, humbling and edifying at the same time. You see the world through the goggles of two athlete-celebrities and see what moves them at their core: meaningful relationships, faith, growth.

This is a beautiful tale of two opposite people whose relationship created beautiful moments for many people. Kareem tells this story with such love and joy. I listened to the audio and you can hear the love for coach in his voice.