UCLA Basketball: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar says Bruin basketball is a shadow of its former self

The division among UCLA fans, students and alum as well as the mainstream media keeps getting wider and wider. While many Bruins are upset at the article and want to see UCLA Coach Ben Howland pack his bags, just as many want to see Ben Howland stick around for one more year. The mainstream media seems to be largely on Ben Howland’s side, although there are a large chunk of pundits who think Howland needs to be in Westwood in 2013.

Although he didn’t say so explicitly, count UCLA legend and NBA Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the group who wants to see Ben Howland gone, saying that Bruin basketball is a shell of what it once, which formulated during Howland’s tenure. Here’s a snippet of his post, from ESPN.com:

"UCLA Bruin basketball is a shadow of its former self right now, and the rumors we hear about poor discipline and lack of leadership are very troubling to those of us who helped build the extraordinary tradition of achievement that defined the John Wooden era. The challenge for UCLA is one of recognizing the best way to restore the focus on the ideals that were central to Coach’s success. It is no easy task, but until it happens, those of us who bleed Bruin Blue will feel an extreme sense of loss.[…]When I was on the New York Knicks staff, I had the opportunity to interact with Trevor Ariza. Trevor felt that he did not fit in Coach Howland’s system very well, so he left for the NBA instead of trying to deal with his coach’s way of doing things. He indicated that if he had to deal with a personality like Howland’s, he preferred to get paid for doing so. This trend appeared to continue as the program recruited more players who would rather leave than deal with Coach Howland’s personality.[…]Howland has not earned a reputation for being a nurturing type of coach who catered to the players. If I were in Coach Howland’s position, I would have cleaned house much earlier, eliminating players who did not respect other players or the coaching staff. That type of attitude is something a coach cannot tolerate if he wants to maintain control of his team. Self-control is one of the key disciplines that coaches must teach. It is essential for any sport."

Not that we needed confirmation, but this is even more proof that Ben Howland’s personality is far too abrasive to get the most out of his players. Howland is incredibly distant, terrifyingly calculated and disturbingly cold towards his players. He may be a “Hell of a coach” (something I’d dispute, considering he’s incredibly stubborn with his game plan), but if players are jumping ship any way they can (with guys like Ariza, Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook, Mike Moser, et al. all leaving for the NBA earlier than we’d like or transferring out of Westwood) then his approach to the game of basketball needs to be reconsidered and, possibly, drastically changed.

That’s if he’s given the chance to coach a major program like UCLA’s. What is essentially required for Howland is a total personality change — it doesn’t seem like Howland is a jerk to his players on purpose, but instead is just a cold jerk as a result of who he is. Personality is largely inherited and Howland might just be distant and “socially awkward” because he can’t help it.

But just because Howland can’t help his abrasiveness, doesn’t mean UCLA is obligated to keep him around. If Howland has a hard time managing the egos and erratic behavior that his players exhibit, how will he ever be a successful coach? Will he just rely on talent that goes largely unnoticed in the most obscure areas of the country? If a five-star recruit comes knocking on his door looking for an elite program to play for, will he turn them away?

Howland’s personality change isn’t going to happen in one offseason; hell, it isn’t going to happen over the course of a full calendar year. Legendary coaches championed discipline, but they also championed tough love. John Wooden kept his players in check, but he also shared with them a philosophy that extended beyond the basketball court. Phil Jackson got his players to buy into his system and think on their feet on the court, but he also shared with them some of his own philosophical beliefs and connected even with the most dysfunctional of personalities (i.e. Dennis Rodman, Ron Artest).

Howland doesn’t do that — he just isn’t that type of guy. His X’s and O’s are just that — things that just relate to basketball. And in order for players to buy into a system and enjoy basketball so much that they’d give it their all (and then some), they have to respect their coach on a deeper level. Howland isn’t very multi-dimensional; he never has been, and it’s unlikely that he ever will.

Kareem seems to share these sentiments, especially considering John Wooden was a lifetime friend. While John Wooden’s personality made his players wish they had more than four years of eligibility, Ben Howland’s players can’t stomach half of that.

Hopefully UCLA and Ben Howland figures these things out, but restoring UCLA to greatness is no easy task.