THE GUTTY LITTLE BRUINS passes along a report from the L.A. DAILY NEWS’ Jill Painter on the tribute to college basketball legend John Wooden from the high school that bears his name. A brand new mural was unveiled in the coach’s honor earlier this month.

The mural was designed and painted by Los Angeles artist Hector Rios, who didn’t know who Wooden was, but produced the mural in three months after the research into the iconic UCLA coach. It’s on the wall on the outside of an English classroom (Wooden taught English before his big coaching days.)

The late Nell Wooden is depicted holding a basketball. Also on the mural are “Inch and Miles”, the character from his children’s book, Wooden heroes Abe Lincoln and Mother Teresa, etc. The words ”father, husband, teacher, coach, athlete” are on the mural, with pictures of Wooden in each of those roles.

A fitting tribute to the Wizard of Westwood, who was very much the renaissance man (I had no idea he was a children’s book author.)