Statement from Coach John Wooden
I would like to thank everyone that has been part of this week’s event and am disappointed to not be with you all today. It’s extremely pleasing to know that in addition to the tremendous basketball skills on display tomorrow, together we are making a difference in the lives of children and the less fortunate. I would specifically like to thank one of my dearest friends John Vallely for being with you in my absence, as well as Coach Howland and the entire UCLA basketball team for the service at today’s clinic. The event has a long history of giving back to Southern California charities and I look forward to many more years of the same. I plan on seeing you all here tomorrow in what looks to be two excellent college basketball contests.

UCLA Coach Ben Howland
It’s always an honor to be here and to play in this event with it being in Coach Wooden’s name and what he means to the game of basketball. It really is apropos what he finds most enjoyable about this event is that is raises money to help kids and those in need. That just says everything about Coach. He’s 99 years old. That is incredible. One of my administrative assistants had breakfast with him yesterday and he is feeling pretty well. I’m very hopeful that he’ll be here tomorrow.

We have a very tough opponent in Mississippi State. I’ve watched a lot of film on them. They are extremely talented. Their big man inside is going to end up being the leading shot blocker in the history of college basketball, which is an amazing statement in itself. They shoot the ball very well. They are obviously well coached. It’s going to be a real challenge for our team. We are excited to be here and are looking forward to the challenge.

Georgetown Coach John Thompson III
I am and Georgetown University is extremely excited and honored to be here for Coach Wooden’s Classic. Not just because who he is and what he has meant to the game of basketball, but also for the funds that are going towards charities in this area. That is something that is important and special to us. I’m excited to see Coach tomorrow and my guys are excited to be part of this event.

I’m not excited about our opponent that we play. We come across the country and play against one of the better teams, one of the better-coached teams in the country. We have our work cut out for us tomorrow. I’m trying to figure out if we can make them miss and make some baskets ourselves.

Washington Coach Lorenzo Romar
With Coach Wooden’s name being attached to this, for me it’s very special. The players on our team are excited to be participants in this Classic. They are aware of who Coach Wooden is and what he did on the basketball floor, but I don’t know if they are aware of the man John Wooden. I’m talking about a guy who will have his name in many, many sports books and already has for years to come, especially basketball books in terms of the greatest. I really believe that if Coach Wooden wouldn’t have ever coached a basketball, there would be other books where his name would be in there because he is just so special and gifted. He is such an amazing man. You want wisdom? Forget going to buy a book. Just sit down at John Wooden’s feet and listen to what he has to say. I guarantee you he will just blow you away with his views on life and his perspective.

It’s very interesting, as Coach Thompson says they are going to figure out a way to make us miss, I’m thinking we have less than 24 hours left of trying to figure out how we’re going to score against Georgetown. They are very solid and disciplined offensively and defensively. They are a very well-coached team and have talent on that team. We have our work cut out for us against the Hoyas.

Mississippi State Coach Rick Stansbury
We are very thankful to be a part of this and be a part of something with John Wooden’s name attached to it too. I remember five years ago when we came out here and was a part of this, I took back something then that I see every day. I have three little boys. They were one, three and five. I have a picture of those little boys and my wife on the wall that I pass by every morning and see John Wooden there. I grew up in Kentucky. You would think that far away from Southern California that he wouldn’t have much impact. But I grew up during that time when UCLA were winning all the National Championships. Being from Kentucky, people in that state didn’t think that was supposed to be happening or possible. What he has done is remarkable. The pyramid of success is something that he has passed down to so many people that most coaches somewhere along the way make it part of their lives and part of the things in their offices. That is one of the things that John has passed down and it is part of my office too.

We get the opportunity to play UCLA, so you know how difficult that is. Forget the record right now. Trust me, by the end of this season Ben is going to have one of the better teams in this league. He has had some transition, but even at that, their team is very good. They are capable of beating anybody any night. Like always, they are one of the better defensive teams. They are going to guard you and play physical. We got in here last night at about 3:00 in the morning. We just hope we are awake enough tomorrow afternoon to give them a good game.

On how the Bruins have been going
Howland: This week was a tough week because we are in the middle of finals. We played Sunday against Kansas and I had to give them off Monday and Tuesday. Just like any college student, they are still cramming for exams to the very last minute. We practiced Wednesday, Thursday and then today right before this. You could tell today’s practice was much better than yesterday’s because finals are now down for everyone and completed. I’m excited to have (Tyler) Honeycutt back. We actually had a little scare and thought maybe we were going to lose him again yesterday. He had a little pain in the same shin where he had the stress reaction. He had an MRI done yesterday and it came back negative. He had a good practice today. Reeves Nelson has been able to practice all week. His eye still looks pretty nasty where he got the finger poked in it, but he’s a tough kid. We’re excited to be here and it’s an honor to always be here. We’ve been here every year since I came to UCLA as coach and will continue to do so. It’s just a great event and especially because it’s for Coach Wooden.

On not having Coach Wooden in attendance for the press conference
Howland: It’s definitely different. I understand. Coach has been so open and helpful to so many people. He has answered every letter he has received in his life and returned every call. It’s incredible how much he has given back. Today’s weather is not great and he would have to go back. I don’t think he wants to stay in a hotel. We’re find and look forward to seeing him tomorrow.

On potential pressure building from losses for UCLA
Howland: Not yet. It is difficult. We have played some very good teams. Tomorrow is no exception. This has been a very tough schedule with the young team that we have. Mississippi State is right there with Kansas in terms of their level of play and talent, so we have our hands full.

On the NBA rule of a mandatory one year of college service
Howland: What I’ve said is I think the kids should be allowed to go out of high school. But if they come to college, I’d like to have them at least commit to staying for two or three years. It’s difficult otherwise. We don’t make the rules. The NBA is the one setting the rules by which we play. I actually think the NCAA did a good thing the way they responded where now the player has to make a decision by May 9 because that will help the situation some. I’m hoping eventually like football or baseball will have to stay in college for two or three years before they can leave if they choose to attend college.

On discussing Coach Wooden with their players
Thompson: We definitely did. We talked about it. Our group, like Lorenzo said, knows the name John Wooden. They associate him with the great run he had at UCLA. I shouldn’t definite it as a run. It was a lot more than that. As we get prepared for this, we’re just making them understand a lot of the other things, the good work that he has been a part of above and beyond that. Just as much as I’m excited, they are excited to be here.

Romar: For us, I would say this is more of an ongoing situation with Coach Wooden. We are in the same league as UCLA and play in Pauley Pavilion every year. Our guys come in every year and look around when they first get in there. It’s really easy to make reference to John Wooden. This is not the first time our guys have heard of John Wooden.

Stansbury: We’ll be able to meet tonight and talk about it. The players who study basketball, they know who John Wooden is. We’ll attach that reference to it tonight.

On the quick turnaround from playing Thursday night for Mississippi State
Stansbury: If you ask me after the game tomorrow, I can probably give you a little more idea about it. We played in Tampa last night. We jumped on a plane. We hit the ground in Los Angeles about 2 or 2:30 a.m. and got here at the hotel about 3:00 in the morning. It’s a quick turnaround, but no excuses. Sometimes you have to play in tournaments and play three or four games in a row, so at least we have a day’s rest today before we get the opportunity to play a very good UCLA tomorrow.

On if the rebuilding cycle is inevitable in college basketball
Howland: We have to do a better job recruiting obviously. Sometimes it’s hard. You only have 13 scholarships. I can remember the last few recruiting where I was worried about going over and yet we’ve never had all 13 scholarships used since I’ve been the coach in my seven years. It all comes down to recruiting. The reason we’ve had success in the past is because we’ve had good players. We have a very young team right now. I wish there was an easier answer and you could plan better. It is difficult. Everybody up here has lost someone early. Mississippi State has lost kids, before they the rule where you had to go to college, Rick lost a few players who signed and then right to the NBA before they even attended college. We’ve all had that issue.

On getting supporting in football country
Stansbury: We’ve been fortunate probably. In the last seven years, we sold out every ticket in the preseason. We’ve been blessed to have some good players and to have found some ways to win games. When you do that, people are going show up. That is the way. When you don’t win sometimes, I don’t care where you are, people are going to drop off some. Every program has transition. That is why it is so remarkable what John Wooden did. Those years in college basketball you’ll never see again, where somebody can dominate the way he did.

On UCLA's success in recent years
Stansbury: You look around and see what Ben has done here now. It’s remarkable for a guy nowadays, three years in a row in the Final Four. That is not going to happen in today’s basketball very often with anybody, anywhere. It’s just not going to happen. Those days, the way it used to be, it’s just not there anymore. Some things you can’t control. You watch UCLA play Sunday against the best in the country, Kansas, they were right there with them toe-to-toe. Ben knows what he is doing and he is going to find a way to make his teams better and win. We just hope tomorrow that they are not at their best for us to have a chance.

Romar: I just hope people don’t take that for granted because it’s UCLA. They went to three straight Final Fours. That doesn’t happen anymore. That is history. I know they weren’t National Championships, but find someone else that has done that lately. For the UCLA community, don’t take that for granted.