John Wooden US Stamp Unveiled by UCLA Legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
February 25, 2024
A U.S. stamp honoring longtime UCLA head coach John Wooden was unveiled by former Bruin and Basketball Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on Saturday at the university's campus.
Wooden, who was head coach of UCLA from 1948 to 1975, helped guide the program to a record 10 national titles in the 1960s and '70s. Abdul-Jabbar played for Wooden from 1966 to 1969, winning three straight national championships as a Bruin.
"There's only one thing I can say and that's, 'Thank you, Coach,'" Abdul-Jabbar said, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN). "You gave it to us on both ends, you made us champs and you made us understand life. I don't think any coach can do better than that."
The stamp shows Wooden with two players in the background wearing Nos. 4 and 10. The four represents the number of undefeated seasons under Wooden and 10 for the number of national championships he won with the program.
Gene Block @UCLAchancellorHad an amazing day at <a href="https://twitter.com/UCLA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UCLA</a> celebrating the launch of the <a href="https://twitter.com/USPS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USPS</a>' newest stamp honoring Coach John Wooden. His impact on the Bruin community, both on and off the court, is unmatched. Thank you, Coach, for your enduring wisdom. 🏀💛💙 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JohnWoodenStamp?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JohnWoodenStamp</a> <a href="https://t.co/7C1UH0y9xn">pic.twitter.com/7C1UH0y9xn</a>
Wooden is the second college basketball coach to be honored with his own U.S. stamp, joining James Naismith, who invented the game and coached Kansas from 1898 to 1907.
Around 18 million Wooden stamps were created, according to the Associated Press.
