But his impact isn't limited to the past. Wooden still goes to UCLA games, and Howland has made sure he's an integral part of his teams. When Howland threw a barbecue for the team at his house last fall, he invited Wooden and dozens of his former players.
"We were pretty focused on the game, but our heart and everything we do on the floor is always a tribute to him," Arron Afflalo said, "whether he's healthy or not."
Wooden had hoped to come to Indianapolis and watch the Bruins play for the school's 12th title. When the Bruins won No. 11 in 1995, under coach Jim Harrick, Wooden was at the game in Seattle, quietly slipping out before the final buzzer to keep the focus on the players.
But while his blue eyes still sparkle, he walks with the aid of a cane and doesn't travel much anymore. He spent last week in San Diego for the McDonald's high school All-American games, and was busy the entire time he was there. He was sure to be in even greater demand at the Final Four, and decided the back-to-back trips were simply too much.
Instead, he planned to stay in Los Angeles and watch the game from home. But his family insisted he go to the hospital on Sunday night, wanting to make sure he hadn't gotten too worn down.
"I want to say a special hello to Coach Wooden out there right now," Howland said after the game. "Coach went into the hospital, and I know he didn't want to go. Coach, we're thinking about you and we love you."
