NIL.....prior to NIL
Posted on: August 13, 2022 at 09:16:46 CT
El Zorro MU
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Reading a book about John Wooden (665 pages - a long read but a good one by Seth Davis) - "A Coach's Life".
I knew a bit of this already - but the book goes into details about the relationship between Sam Gilbert and the UCLA players back in the 60's.
According to Lew Alcindor (later to become Kareem Abdul Jabbar), after his sophomore season, he and Lucious Allen were all set to transfer to Michigan State - MSU was offering them a "total package" of money, clothes, cars, whatever they wanted".
Enter Sam Gilbert - who was introduced to the two by Willie Nauls, UCLA player from the 50s - Sam stepped in and provided Alcindor and Allen anything and everything they needed - they could go anywhere and eat for free - go into any store and pick out what they wanted without paying - he bought their game day tickets way over face value - whatever they needed.
Sam got involved after Alcindor's and Allen's sophomore season - and stayed involved long after that.
Wooden won 10 championships in 12 years - quite a record - but he did have some financial help.
NIL......before NIL.......
Edited by El Zorro at 09:17:33 on 08/13/22