LOS ANGELES — Celtics coach Doc Rivers has two autographed pictures on his desk at home — one of John Wooden, one of Boston patriarch Red Auerbach.
Rivers got the Wooden autograph eight years ago at a Michael Jordan fantasy camp.
“I don’t ask for autographs often, it’s one I wanted and I have those two,” Rivers said yesterday. “When you have those two on your desk, you don’t need to add to your collection. They’re the two best. Wooden’s the best coach ever. Him and Red are the two gods. It’s a sad loss really for all of us.”
“He’s one of the rare superstars who looked out more as a person than he did as a coach,” Rivers added. “That’s rare.”
Wooden died at age 99 Friday night at UCLA’s Ronald Reagan Medical Center, 25 minutes from Staples Center, where the NBA Finals are being staged. There was a standing ovation at Dodger Stadium Friday night when the news was announced and Staples Center is expected to pay tribute tonight before Game 2.
There were many Wooden testimonials at Lakers practice. Kobe Bryant said he talked with Wooden at Chick Hearn’s funeral in 2002 during a Lakers championship run.
“When we talked, we talked about our team, how well we play as a group,” Bryant said. “At the time we were winning championships. He said how proud he was as a young player, I was willing to work hard, do things when nobody was around.
“I think if you talk to any of his players, what’s consistent is he made them better people,” Kobe added. “The winning we all know about.”
Asked if the Lakers dynasty — they have won 15 titles — is similar to UCLA’s 10-title stash under Wooden, Bryant said, “Not quite like that. We’ve had a good run, but not like that.”
The Celtics’ Paul Pierce, who grew up in L.A., said, “When you see an icon pass, your heart goes out to his family.”
On the Lakers coaching staff is special assistant Rasheed Hazzard, son of former UCLA coach Walt Hazzard, who succeeded Wooden.
“When I got my high school job at Venice High, I flew out on a private jet with him [for a function with my father], a 2½-hour flight,” Hazzard said. “He spent the whole time explaining to me how to create a practice plan and we wrote my first five practices together on the plane. Just an amazing thing, to spend time with a then-23-year-old, first-time high school head coach.”
Hazzard added, “The main thing that struck me was him telling me you don’t go out and get great players. Coach Wooden said it was your job to nurture them as young men and felt their talents would come through to the forefront through character, responsibility and they’d become great players. It’s all about coaching them to be good men. Don’t judge yourself on the record. Wait 10 years and see where your players are.”
Lakers forward Luke Walton, former UCLA star Bill Walton’s son, said his father had Wooden come to his house in junior high to teach him the proper way to put on shoes and socks.
