John Wooden hospitalized in grave condition

Friday, June 4th, 2010

http://trueslant.com/jonpyle/files/2009/10/Johnwooden.jpgLOS ANGELES – Former UCLA basketball coach and Hall of Famer John Wooden has been hospitalized in Los Angeles, according to Bill Walton.

The former UCLA star said Thursday night that the 99-year-old Wooden was at UCLA Medical Center, where Walton last visited with him two days ago.

Walton spoke at the NBA finals, where he declined to comment on Wooden’s condition.

“He’s the greatest,” Walton said, his voice catching. “We love him.”

Los Angeles television station KCAL and the Los Angeles Times first reported that Wooden was in “grave” condition.

The Times cited an anonymous school source who said Wooden’s health has been an issue in recent weeks and that he was briefly hospitalized about a month ago.

UCLA spokesman Marc Dellins told The Associated Press he spoke to a Wooden family member Thursday evening and that the family asked that no other information about Wooden be released.

UCLA Medical Center spokeswoman Roxanne Moster said she couldn’t confirm whether Wooden was there or not because it would be a “violation of medical privacy laws.” (more…)