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Hall of Famer Jamaal Wilkes On UCLA, NBA And His Memoir

Photo © The Daily Sports Herald via Flickr Commons.

uSports recently had the opportunity to sit down with NBA hall of famer Jamaal Wilkes. Wilkes became known for his hard work on and off-the-court: UCLA’s legendary Coach Wooden called him the definition of the perfect student athlete.

uSports asked Wilkes about UCLA, his time in the NBA — with the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers — and his memoir, Jamaal Wilkes: Memoirs of The Original Smooth As Silk.

Jamaal Wilkes on UCLA

Now, Wilkes played his entire basketball career in California — from high school to the NBA — but why did he originally choose UCLA? Of course, the Bruins were a powerhouse in the 60s, yet a young kid could easily get overwhelmed by that.

“Coach Wooden made the difference,” Wilkes stated. “And he only promised me two things, I get a good education — if I went to class — and I’d have an opportunity to play for him. And it was absolutely no hype at all and his humility was staggering, especially for me, a 17-year-old kid at the time… He was already well on his way to becoming a national treasure.”

As for Wooden’s comment that Wilkes was the perfect student athlete, Jamaal said it was one of the greatest honors he ever got. “It is up there with being inducted in the Hall of Fame and having my jersey retired. It sends chills down my spine. I still can’t believe he said it.”

Jamaal Wilkes On His Memoir

So why should sports fans invest their time in Jamaal Wilkes: Memoirs of The Original Smooth As Silk? “Number one, I wrote it to give back some of the love to the fans… Secondly, I felt like I played during the golden era. I played for Coach Wooden at UCLA, at the height of his coaching experience: not only the two championships, but the 88-game win streak, which is unheard of. And lastly, I raised three children and the distance in time, I sprinkled it with some inspiration, upliftment and encouragement for young people and parents.”

Stay tuned for part two of the interview, which will come out over the next few weeks.

Anthony Falco