Coaching Basketball Successfully - 3rd Edition

Legendary UCLA coach John Wooden once said, “People say Morgan Wootten is the best high school basketball coach in the country. I disagree. I know of no finer coach at any level—high school, college, or pro.”

Morgan Wootten has retired from coaching, but his knowledge of the game remains unsurpassed and keen as ever. Coaching Basketball Successfully contains a wealth of Wootten’s timeless wisdom. And, in this third edition, Wootten adds even more value—the coaching experiences, methods, and tactics of his son Joe, a successful high school coach himself.

Loaded with insights, instruction, drills, and Xs and Os, Coaching Basketball Successfully is the best single resource on making the most of your program, team, and players each season.

Morgan Wootten compiled a remarkable 1,274-192 (.869) record in his 46-year career at DeMatha High School in Hyattsville, Maryland. Under Wootten’s helm, DeMatha won legendary national championships in 1962, 1965, 1968, and 1984. In 1984, USA Today named Wootten the National Coach of the Year. His teams recorded 44 consecutive seasons with at least 20 wins and won 33 Catholic League championships. Most impressive, DeMatha has finished the season ranked number 1 in the Washington, DC, area 20 times in the last 33 years.

Wootten first put DeMatha on the national map of high school basketball in 1965 when his team broke the 71-game winning streak of Lew Alcindor’s club at Power Memorial Academy (New York). More than 160 of Wootten's former players have played college basketball, and a dozen have played in the NBA. Wootten was inducted into the Naismith National Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000. He retired in November 2002.

Wootten is regarded as one of the best teachers in the history of the game. Coaches throughout the world have read his books, watched his videos and DVDs, and sat rapt through his clinics for many years. He and his wife, Kathy, reside in Hyattsville, Maryland.

Joe Wootten played for and was an assistant coach for his dad and is now an accomplished high school coach in his own right. Upon his arrival at Bishop O’Connell High School (Arlington, Virginia) in 1999, he turned the program around from a 6-game winner the year before his arrival to an average of 23 wins per season as head coach. He also serves as athletic director of the school. Joe has led O'Connell to 5 Virginia State Independent titles, 3 Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) regular season titles, 3 Alhambra Catholic Invitational titles, and 1 WCAC tournament title. He was selected as the Arlington County Coach of the Year three times, WCAC Coach of the Year once, and Virginia State Independent Coach of the Year four times. Well known for developing his assistant coaches, he has had one college head coach, four Division I assistant coaches, and 6 head high school coaches work with him before advancing in their careers. 32 of his O’Connell players have earned college basketball scholarships. Joe resides in Vienna, Virginia, with his wife, Terri Lynn, and their three children, Alexa, Reese, and Jackson.

“It is appropriate to mention Morgan Wootten in the same conversation as John Wooden, Dean Smith, Mike Krzyzewski and Bob Knight as among the greatest coaches of basketball. His impact on all high school sports, all of his former players and coaches, and the entire coaching profession for generations is unmatched. His incredible ability to teach the fundamentals of the game is the gold standard for all coaches at all levels to follow. I know firsthand that his son Joe has continued this way of teaching the game. Joe’s continued development of the Wootten Way has produced championship teams and fundamentally sound college-bound players for over a decade. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to become a better coach.”

Sean Miller -- Head Men’s Basketball Coach

University of Arizona

“Morgan Wootten is one of the most respected basketball coaches of all time. His wisdom and expertise are in full display in Coaching Basketball Successfully. It is a guide that should be on the bookshelf of every high school coach.”

Tom Izzo -- Head Basketball Coach

Michigan State University

"People say Morgan Wootten is the best high school basketball coach in the country. I disagree. I know of no finer coach at any level – high school, college, or pro. I've said it elsewhere and I'll say it here: I stand in awe of him."

John Wooden