For the past few weeks, UCLA basketball players have been asking fans to remain patient, to give them more time to jell as a team.
This argument apparently makes sense to at least one onlooker — John Wooden.
Speaking to reporters several days before the annual basketball doubleheader in Anaheim that bears his name, the respected former coach said he likes what he sees in the Bruins.
“Good teams take time,” he said. “They always do.”
This year’s John R. Wooden Classic features UCLA against DePaul on Saturday at the Honda Center.
The 5-2 Bruins, ranked fourth in the preseason polls, have slipped to No. 16 after losses to Michigan and sixth-ranked Texas.
They feature a mix of veterans such as point guard Darren Collison and swingman Josh Shipp with five freshmen from a highly touted recruiting class.
Wooden has kept a watchful eye on UCLA, as always.
“I have some bad days but, at 98, I feel pretty good,” he said.
This season’s team might be a little closer to the old coach’s heart if only because his great-grandson, Tyler Trapani, is on the roster.
Not that Wooden was overly sentimental about Trapani, a walk-on. He said they don’t talk much basketball — he doesn’t want to seem pushy — and was frank about the freshman’s skills.
“He’s a little heavy-footed,” Wooden said. “And that will always be a hindrance in basketball.”
