So much praise — all of it deserved — already has been bestowed upon John Wooden that there seems little need for more. Except to note that the legendary coach's greatest legacy may well rest outside of basketball.

Think about that. Wooden arguably is the greatest coach of all time in any sport (in fact, last year a Sporting News panel of coaches gave him that very distinction). Yet, beyond the 10 NCAA championships, the four undefeated seasons and the array of all-time greats who played for him, Wooden's most lasting contribution may be in how he won. He possessed a grace and humility that inspired not only his players but also touched millions of fans turned off by other ego-driven coaches who so often lose perspective on the balance between life and sports.

Wooden also shared a wisdom and vision — not just between the lines of a basketball floor — but for the world beyond that shaped his players' character long after they left his programs, whether at UCLA or in the early days at Indiana State Teachers College. Consider the words of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the former UCLA and Los Angeles Lakers great who was once known as Lew Alcindor: "Some nations designate their outstanding citizens as 'national treasures.' Coach Wooden fits that mold perfectly.''

Indeed, he did.

Wooden, of course, also was an Indiana treasure — one that was shaped by his childhood days in Martinsville, then as a scholar and athlete at Purdue University, and as a young teacher and coach in South Bend and Terre Haute. He left Indiana for California in 1948, where his success would reach extraordinary levels and his fame would spread around the world. But he never forget his home, returning regularly, including to attend an annual tournament in Indianapolis that bears his name.

One key to Wooden's success is that he never tried to be more than who he was — a brilliant teacher and visionary leader, yes, but also a small-town boy whose roots were firmly grounded in faith and family. That's a lesson that leaders in this city and state might note. Wooden pursued and achieved excellence — world-class excellence — without ever forgetting the people, the places and the principles that molded him as a child and as a young man.

In a profession, in a world, where true greatness is rare, John Wooden reached the pinnacle — not just as a coach but as a man.

REPRINTED FROM THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR