Talking Basketball with Jerry Norman, assistant to John Wooden at UCLA

Sit back and watch this fascinating interview with Jerry Norman - one of the most influential people to the UCLA basketball program. While Wooden toiled away at UCLA for almost 20 years with modest success, when Jerry Norman joined his staff, they laid waste to the record books and boosted John Wooden to the most NCAA tournament championships of any coach ever.

[@dusty975]

Awesome interview of a guy that doesn't get enough credit for the phenomenal UCLA basketball success. Thanks very much for providing this video -- I hated to see it end. I could listen to Coach Norman all night.

[@wnec12]

nice to know the history of the sport that the books won't tell, thanks coach!

[@bballbreakdown]

Thanks, I hope everyone gets something out of it. It's really important to keep these memories alive.

[@stever1791]

Thank you for this great interview. I wish i could have heard all the questions , but the dialogue was so spot on. Coach Norman , and i thought this years ago, really was a very smart Basketball Coach, If their is a part 2 , Ill look forward to that

[@DA-xh3tw]

He was an assistant coach who had some really great ideas. Wooden has said he was valuable and praised him. Never enough for Jerry Norman. Perhaps if he thought he was so good he should have been a head coach. Wooden was the Head Coach. He deserves the credit. At least he was smart enough to listen to good ideas. Does Norman think he is the only assistant to ever have good ideas that a head coach used . Happens all the time. Dean Smith and countless others benefited from good assistants. They were just more humble. Norman thought everyone but Newell just completely devoid of thought or strategy .

[@williamseaverii1579]

Jerry Norman’s contribution to UCLA Basketball was so great. He is so under recoginized.

[@bballbreakdown]

So glad you like it - I hope everyone gets it like you do!

[@SoothingSound]

Good to see him recognize and explain the evolution of basketball. Nice video!

[@inlovewithi]

I'm just glad he's alive cause I was feeling so bad during those 12 minutes.

[@sdale6322]

Coach Nick, extraordinary video. I really enjoy your love for the lost fundamentals and values of the game. I work with VABA(Virginia Basketball Academy) and the Staff and myself would love to watch a video on the importance of coach "Wooden's Pyramid of success" and what players today could learn! -Thanks Coach Dale

[@bballbreakdown]

He graduated college in 52, so that makes him 82 or so. Really sharp -you should hear his observations of NBA teams today!

[@CZRonUTube]

Nice interview.

[@bballbreakdown]

I was there watching the UCLA Men's team practice in August..

[@bballbreakdown]

He played in the early 50's, then assisted John Wooden coached UCLA from 1962-1970

[@bballbreakdown]

That would be a great video. I actually had Wooden signed on, but he got sick before I could interview him.. I'll have more from Dean Smith, Tex Winter and others. I'm hoping to get Louie Carnasseca and Jack Ramsay...

[@bballbreakdown]

I hope I can sit down and do more...

[@bballbreakdown]

Oh yeah... Well, I can try and finish it off. Let's see how much time we have before the season.

[@bballbreakdown]

That does NOT work both ways.. If Jerry West had 5 months to train, he'd be a beast. And Wilt without question would be the best center today

[@bballbreakdown]

I think he's right - and he was talking 50's. No question, if a guy went back in time, able to go through his legs and elevate on his jump shot, he'd be a star

[@coachnd8139]

I was struck by how his tone about Wooden was neutral and not complimentary. Perhaps the fact that Norman did not get much public credit for the success of UCLA in that era is a factor in his attitude.

[@Cdawg5666]

I took it that he was saying that Wooden was less modern but effective in his own way. Also, Norman was the one who went with Coach Wooden to JD Morgan to get more recruiting revenue to cast a wide net on national recruiting. Wooden wasn't a natural recruiter---he had to attain success to recruit. And he wasn't getting the best kids in So Cal in the 50s and early 60s.

[@stever1791]

Hello, One thing i've never liked about John Wooden, he NEVER AND I MEAN NEVER COMPLIMENTED an opposing player. Elvin Hayes in the game of the century against Lew Alcindor ( we know about the hurt eye ) But E was unreal that night and wooden didn"t say boo about the opposing players play, Even in 1971 Title game against Villanova and Howard Porter who had Sidney Wicks for lunch that game and was awarded the MOP of the tourney, Wooden had nothing things to say about how well Howard Porter played. I don't by into that Wooden was all he is built up to be.

[@stever1791]

@@jackschrader6612 Thanks Jack, I'm well aware of the Sam Gilbert and JD Morgan ( UCLA Athlietic Director ) and his affilation with some of the NCAA Executives ( Rumor ??? - Truth ??) Winning those titles is impressive , But NOT when you cheat and out West , the path to the final 4 was rather easy from 1964 to 1975 . Just not that many good Basketball teams out west during that era. but those UCLA teams in the East and they lose in the East Regionals some years. Too many tough teams in a row to win that often

[@dshooter6391]

Jerry Norman is as responsible for UCLA’s success as John Wooden!

[@DKxRAMONESxSP]

I get the feeling that Jerry and Wooden had a relationship similar to the Mythbusters. Great working associates but that was about all they had in common.

[@jameszerukjr]

He's sitting next to me in Starbucks on San Vincente right now, talking to another BB guy who knew Coach Wooden.

[@CZRonUTube]

Coach nick when will you finish the Olympic basketball documentary? I think you left off when the us los to the soviet union.

[@joewas]

i second this

[@richardthelionheart5594]

A hint of Schadenfeur by Norman re JRW, after all he was the GOAT Bruin Basketball recruiter!!!

[@coachnd8139]

This interview seems to be cut off. Is there a part 2?

[@inlovewithi]

@jongib369 He played in the early 50s, probably before that.

[@ygoeb13]

Hey coach, have you ever worked out at the wooden center at UCLA? Could have sworn I saw you there once this past summer

[@ShunyamNiketana]

I don't think he's saying that Robertson, West, or Wilt would be "average" now. He's saying that the players today are so athletic that the 6th or 7th player on a good team today would dominate physically fifty years ago, all other things being equal. For example, the walk-on for Louisville who played so well against Wichita State in the first round of the final four would be an All-American in 1963. Yes, Havlicek would do well now because he could run so well, but he was only 6'5"..

[@weetton]

skill != athleticism

[@jongib369]

*adding to original comment* So is he basically saying that guys like Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain etc would only be average today if an average player from today would be a star back then? Why do players like Kareem or Artis gilmore beast the league from late 60's/early 70's until late 80's? I'm not saying I know something he doesn't, that would be ridiculous... I just don't get how plenty of stars produce greatly in later era's...Another would be havlicek in the 70s

[@inlovewithi]

I Google his name, and for the first 12 minutes of this video I thought he died this July. Until I went back to the Wikipedia page and say Chinese writing for his name. So when was this guy born? When did he play?

[@jongib369]

I respect his opinion, he has bball knowledge I could only dream of having. but to say that the game isn't any different is silly IMO. ( palming rules opening up the game, 1 or 2 hand hand checking took out etc etc) has opened up the game to what we see today...to say an average player today would be a star back in the day unless hes talking before the 60s I have a hard time believing. can you elaborate coach? music is a joke, but 'average' player in 60's /watch?v=m4_Hgsnncc0&feature=youtu.be

[@laksjdf]

Wilt would be a good center today, but Kareem even better. IMO. I think Wilt is vastly overrated, keeping in mind he was a track star athlete etc. That Sky hook of Kareem transcends anytime era.

[@africandancer12340]

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