Legends of Coaching

The Legends of Coaching Award was adopted by the John R.Wooden Award Committee in 1999. North Carolina’s Dean Smith was the first recipient of the award in 1999, followed by Duke University’s Mike Krzyzewski in 2000, the University of Arizona’s Lute Olson in 2001, the University of Louisville’s Denny Crum in 2002, the University of North Carolina’s, Roy Williams (was coaching at the University of Kansas when he received the award), in 2004 from Stanford University, Mike Montgomery, the University of Connecticut’s Jim Calhoun and the latest addition from Syracuse University, Jim Boeheim.

The Award recognizes the lifetime achievement of coaches who exemplify Coach Wooden’s high standards of coaching success and personal achievement. When selecting the individual, the Wooden Award Committee considers a coach’s character, success rate on the court, graduating rate of student athletes, his coaching philosophy and his identification with the goals of the John R. Wooden Award.

Legends of Coaching Winners

1999 Recipient – Dean Smith, University of North Carolina

2000 Recipient – Mike Krzyzewski, Duke University

2001 Recipient – Lute Olson, University of Arizona

2002 Recipient – Denny Crum, University of Louisville

2003 Recipient – Roy Williams, University of Kansas

2004 Recipient – Mike Montgomery, Stanford University

2005 Recipient – Jim Calhoun, University of Connecticut

2006 Recipient – Jim Boeheim, Syracuse University

2007 Recipient – Gene Keady, Purdue University

2008 Recipient – Pat Summitt, University of Tennessee

2009 Recipient – Rick Barnes, University of Texas