Jamaal Wilkes: UCLA, Howland will bounce back

Two-time UCLA champ and three-time Lakers champion Jamaal Wilkes is the special guest for The Orange County Register's "March Ad Madness" breakfast Tuesday. MICHAEL GOULDING, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER


Wilkes: UCLA, Howland will bounce back
By AL BALDERAS
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Published: March 16, 2010
Updated: 4:51 p.m.

The former Bruin (1972-74) and Laker talks about his old teams and the NCAA Tournament.

SANTA ANA -- It's safe to say that Jamaal Wilkes has made a lasting impression on the game of basketball.

He helped UCLA win a record 88 consecutive games, and played for two of the Bruins' NCAA Championship teams.

He won four NBA titles (one with Golden State, three with the Lakers), secured the NBA Rookie of the Year award, and is one of the finalists for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The final selections will be announced next month.

Wilkes stopped by the Orange County Register Tuesday and took a quick timeout to answer a few questions.

Q. What are your thoughts on the season UCLA had this year?

A. You knew going in it was going to be tough. When (Drew) Gordon left unexpectedly, that made it tougher, not only from the floor but perception-wise. We knew early on it was going to be a very trying year, and it was. But to put it in perspective, North Carolina won the championship last year and they're not in it either. So, it happens. You hope for the silver lining that maybe some of these young players for UCLA played a lot and maybe got some experience, and maybe got a better understanding of what it's going to take next year for success. I think coach Howland, he's going to bounce back. The reality is that you have down years. Everyone does.

Q. What was it like to be on a team that won 88 games in a row?

A. I'm still pinching myself. The whole key was coach Wooden and his remarkable consistency and remarkable level-headedness. Our practices were often times better than the games. And we never really thought of it as winning 88 games. I actually played on the team that won 73 of the 88 games. We always thought of it as going out there and doing our best every night and let the wins and losses take care of themselves. Remarkably, and due to coach Wooden's brilliance, we won a lot of games but to this day I still don't believe it myself.

Q. Is that something that can be repeated?

A. I don't ever like to say never. The UConn women's team has I think won (72) which is pretty remarkable because college women's basketball is pretty competitive all around now. I think the more you have players that want to get a degree, so you have guys that are a more cohesive unit, I think it helps. If you have a whole different cast of characters every year or two, it's kind of tough.

Q. How would you describe Coach Wooden?

A. The Oracle, on and off the floor.

Q. Does the feeling of winning an NBA championship compare with winning an NCAA title or are they two distinctly different things?

A. They're two distinctly different things. With the college game, it's the sudden-death format, more raw energy, more of a pride factor.

With the NBA game it's a grueling series, it's a thing of adjustments. You can have an off night but in the college game, you can't have an off night in the tournament.

Q. Does that make one more special or meaningful than the other?

A. No, only because to win a championship on any level is special and requires a lot of things going right.

Q. What is your fondest memory about the NCAA Tournament?

A. One of my fondest memories as an NCAA player would be my sophomore year when we won the championship, beating Florida State at the Sports Arena here in Los Angeles. It was kind of a coming of age moment to say, 'Hey, we're pretty good, and I'm pretty good. The NBA could be doable.' It was kind of a turning point.

Q. So you hadn't really considered the NBA at that point?

A. I had but not seriously because coming out of high school to UCLA is a quantum leap. You're flattered to be there but you really don't know if you're good enough. Then the expectations we had created by those that preceded us, we just wanted to try to keep it going. That was really more the focus. Not knowing if we could, we didn't want to let the guys down that had created the tradition. That was really what we were trying to do.

Q. What are your thoughts of being a finalist for the Hall of Fame?

A. I'm tickled-pink. I'm excited and honored and hope I get in.