LOS ANGELES -- Despite the obvious pun, very few coaches have sustained the longevity and success of Gonzaga’s Mark Few. Since inheriting a solid but under-the-radar program, he has transformed the Bulldogs into a national brand and perennial NCAA championship contender.
Few’s accomplishments haven’t gone unrecognized — especially by the man he considered his “hero,” John Wooden, the namesake of his latest honor: the John R. Wooden Legend of Coaching Award.
The 10-time national championship-winning UCLA head coach once heaped praise upon Few during a Gonzaga practice while the Bulldogs were preparing for the Wooden Classic in Indianapolis years back. A memory that left a mark in Few’s heart.
“I got to meet him, and it meant the world to me that he told me he loved watching Gonzaga teams play the way we play — moving the ball, moving bodies, team first,” Few recalled. “I thought that was pretty special.”
Like many who had the privilege of meeting the late coach, Few spoke glowingly about Wooden, emphasizing his “humility,” “humbleness” and “sincerity.”
Few, 62, himself was humbled to receive the award — an honor that highlights his impact both off the court and especially on it, in the name of Wooden’s coaching principles.
Having led Gonzaga to the NCAA Tournament every year since taking over the program in 1999, his consistent March Madness appearances rank him fourth among active coaches, behind John Calipari, Bill Self and Tom Izzo — all previous award recipients.
“It’s incredibly humbling and rewarding,” Few said. “He was somebody I looked up to. Loved watching his teams. They were my favorite team. And then as I got older, I was able to read about him and what he stood for.”
Joining Few were this year’s Wooden Award winners — a bittersweet pair of superstar players in Duke’s Cooper Flagg and USC’s Juju Watkins. Both received well-deserved accolades for their outstanding seasons, a season where they each ultimately fell just short of their goals.
Flagg, the 18-year-old phenom and consensus No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, is coming off a hard-fought 70–67 loss to Houston in the Final Four.
He headlined the Wooden Award All-America men’s team, which also included Auburn’s Johni Broome, Alabama’s Mark Sears, Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr. and Purdue’s Braden Smith.
“It’s an unbelievable thing to be part of,” said Smith, who attended last year’s ceremony in support of former teammate and Wooden award winner, Zach Edey. “You're obviously around a bunch of great players, great coaches and a lot of people who've been around the game for a long time and have a lot of love for the game of basketball.”
Sears, who joined Smith on the All-America team, called his selection “a testament to all the hard work I’ve been putting in… It’s a prestigious award to be nominated for.”
Both players are preparing for the upcoming draft, joining Flagg in this year’s class.
For Watkins, the heartbreak came in the form of a torn ACL in her right knee during the second round of the NCAA Tournament. She was forced to watch from home as USC battled on without her, ultimately falling to eventual national champion UConn in the Elite Eight, 78–64.
Watkins was joined on the Wooden Award All-America women’s team by UCLA’s Lauren Betts, Texas’ Madison Booker, UConn’s Paige Bueckers and Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo.