"Don't think about winning the game" - Kareem on the most important lesson he learned from UCLA coach John Wooden

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Having been mentored by John Wooden at UCLA, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar learned many valuable lessons from the legendary coach. According to Abdul-Jabbar, among those was to emphasize the importance of dedication, hard work, and perseverance rather than winning.

In his book, ‘Coach Wooden and Me,’ Kareem revealed that John instilled in him that the true goal was not to win and dominate but to give your best effort in everything you do. Right there and then, Abdul-Jabbar was enlightened that it is the process of striving for excellence and continuous improvement that truly matters.

“Coach Wooden’s most important lesson was that we should never focus on the outcome but on the activity itself. ‘Don’t think about winning the game,’ he’d say. ‘Just do everything possible to prepare. As long as you know you have done everything possible and you have given your best self on the court, that is your reward. The scoreboard is meaningless,'” Abdul-Jabbar wrote.

Prioritizing academics over basketball

Abdul-Jabbar, formerly Lew Alcindor, was a tremendously gifted player. Standing over seven feet after high school, Kareem had an exceptional college basketball career at UCLA, winning three consecutive national championships, three NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player, and three National Player of the Year awards.

While Abdul-Jabbar’s stellar college basketball career has become common knowledge, Wooden’s impact on it isn’t talked about enough. The legendary big man realized early on that John’s coaching philosophy was unique. While most coaches persuaded him to join their school with their programs, Wooden underscored the importance of excelling not only in basketball but also in academics.

Unlike the others, coach Wooden didn’t promise Kareem an illustrious professional basketball career when they talked about him joining UCLA. Instead, he encouraged Abdul-Jabbar to prioritize his studies and maintain good grades as a student-athlete.

“This was the first coach to emphasize academics over athletics. He was more concerned about our long-term happiness than our win-loss record. He didn’t treat me as a basketball player, but as a student who would be playing basketball on the side,” Abdul-Jabbar wrote in his book ‘Becoming Kareem.’

Kareem puts John over Pat

After being mentored by coach Wooden, Abdul-Jabbar unsurprisingly became the most sought-after NBA prospect in the country. In 1969, he was drafted as the No. 1 overall pick by the Milwaukee Bucks. He led the team to an emphatic championship run in 1971 and was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1975.

In LA, Kareem became a cornerstone of the “Showtime” Lakers alongside Magic Johnson and Coach Pat Riley. Together, they won five NBA titles for the Purple and Gold and became one of the greatest NBA dynasties of all time.

While Abdul-Jabbar acknowledges Riley’s coaching prowess and success in the NBA, he believes that Wooden’s influence on him goes beyond the basketball court. For “Cap,” Riley was a great coach in his own right, but nobody molded him like Wooden.

“You can’t compare them. John Wooden has forgotten more about the game than Pat Riley will ever get to know,” Abdul-Jabbar once told Phil Star Global. “And that’s not a knock on Pat. But John Wooden is just a cut above every other coach I’ve played for. Pat Riley worked hard and did a great job; I take nothing from him. John Wooden is just in a class by himself.”

Wooden’s impact on Kareem

Abdul-Jabbar has always credited Wooden for shaping his approach to both his career and life. The lessons he learned from the legendary coach about the importance of education and personal growth stayed with him long after his basketball career ended. This lifts the lid on why Kareem chose to use his platform not only to inspire aspiring NBA players but more importantly, to help them understand that basketball is not everything.

Looking back, it’s no surprise that Abdul-Jabbar is now regarded by many as a role model both on and off the court. And to this day, he never fails to attribute the person he has become to coach Wooden.