Projected NY Times Bestseller Chronicles an
Untold Story of Legendary Head Coach John
Wooden
RALEIGH, N.C.,
Aug. 15,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- SpiritMedia.US, a leading
international book publishing and marketing company, has secured
exclusive rights to publishing and distributing The Pyramid
Principle by UCLA basketball Hall
of Famer and former NBA player John
Vallely with Paul
Weissenstein. The book, which chronicles the impact of
revered NCAA head coach John Wooden,
is anticipated to be a New York Times Bestseller. Greg Ray, the CEO of the International Thought
Leader Network, negotiated the agreement.
To view the full materials, please click here.
The story traces Vallely's journey from a small-time kid in
Newport Beach to junior college
athlete, consecutive NCAA champion, first-round NBA draft pick, and
cancer survivor, with Coach Wooden's mentorship supporting Vallely
through his daughter's cancer battle and his own. It spans a
poignant five decades, highlighting chapters where the former
Atlanta Hawk and Houston Rocket return to Coach Wooden's words for
guidance and strength.
As a 6'3'' guard, Vallely played for UCLA from 1968 to 1970 under the leadership of
Coach Wooden, sharing the court with future NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabar. In his first year, he
emerged as the third-leading scorer and the linchpin of the Bruins'
backcourt. With Vallely on the roster, the team won consecutive
NCAA championships during the 1968-1969 and 1968-1970 seasons,
marking Coach Wooden's third and fourth consecutive title with the
Bruins. Declaring for the 1970 NBA draft, Vallely was picked 14th
in the first round by the Atlanta Hawks, playing behind the
exceptional Pete Maravich.
"An extremely moving piece that brought me to tears more than
once," remarks Tim Dekay, actor in
'White Collar' and 'Oppenheimer.' "It's very tight, has great
transitions, and will put the reader on an emotional
path."
The book title refers to Coach Wooden's Pyramid of Success, a
now iconic triangle diagram identifying 25 characteristics for
achieving excellence, which has found application in many
disciplines beyond competitive basketball. Coach Wooden, widely
regarded as the greatest college basketball coach of all time, was
respected and beloved by players and the larger basketball
community for inspiring his team to be better people as much as
better athletes. In doing so, he fostered greatness, setting
records that have yet to be touched, namely the most consecutive
wins in Division I men's basketball. His teams boasted several
All-Americans, notably Kareem
Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Walton,
Jamaal Wilkes, Sidney Wicks, and Henry
Bibby.
"A beautifully written story," remarks Gregory Craig, Chairman of the Price Center for
Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Anderson at UCLA. "I reflected and took away valuable life
lessons. It celebrates an era of coaching and teaching that has
left us but still has great value. These timeless lessons and
challenges remind us that life is fleeting and must be
treasured."
Central to Vallely's story is his fight against cancer, which
took his daughter's life and almost claimed his own. Empowered by
Coach Wooden's lesson of "faith through prayer," Vallely overcame
severe hardships, leading to his significant involvement in the
Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation after his recovery. In
collaboration with the V. Foundation for Cancer Research, they've
created Dribble for Victory Over Cancer, a national campaign
uniting college basketball teams and their communities in the fight
against childhood cancer. With the book's publication,
SpiritMedia.US hopes to raise awareness for cancer research,
dedicating a portion of the book proceeds towards this cause.
The book is expected to perform strongly on bestseller lists,
reaching multiple market segments. Its intersection between faith,
sports, and cancer research promises a varied readership. The
UCLA community, including those who
played for or knew Coach Wooden, eagerly awaits the book's
publication to honor Coach's legacy. Countless stories have
celebrated Coach's impact on sports, yet this one promises to
define his legacy beyond the hardwood.
About SpiritMedia.US
SpiritMedia.US is a full-service publishing and marketing
company. The organization aims to spread the good news of Jesus in
all 195 nations. Headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., the results-driven,
international company includes individuals from the U.S.,
India, Ukraine, Lithuania, the
Philippines, and Nigeria.
SpiritMedia.US has published hundreds of books and websites,
working with clients worldwide. For more information, visit
SpiritMedia.US or follow @spiritmedia.us on Facebook, Twitter,
LinkedIn, YouTube or Instagram.
- Bios -
About The Pyramid
Principle: The Pyramid Principle by
John Vallely and Paul Weissenstein takes you into the heart of
Coach John Wooden's leadership,
portraying the heart of the legendary UCLA basketball coach who transformed the game and
many lives forever. Spanning five electrifying decades, this
narrative peels back the curtain on Coach Wooden's mentorship over
one of his star players, John
Vallely, showcasing how Coach Wooden forged championship
greatness on the court and in life.
About John
Vallely: John
Vallely was a starting guard for UCLA from 1968-1970, playing for Coach John Wooden. Known as "Money Man" for his clutch
performances, he helped secure two NCAA championships. In 1970, he
was named an All-American, was drafted in the first round by the
Atlanta Hawks, and married his fiance Karen. The couple had two
children: a son, Eric, and a daughter, Erin. Erin, diagnosed with
cancer at 9, lost her fight with the disease at 12. Since then,
John and Karen have dedicated themselves to fighting pediatric
cancer, with John serving on the Board of Directors for the
Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation. Today, he lives in
Orange County with his wife Karen
and is close to his son Eric and granddaughter Erin.
About UCLA: The
University of California, Los Angeles
(UCLA) is a public research university
and one of the ten campuses of the University
of California system. Ranked by publications as among the
best universities in the world, UCLA
consistently excels in research, academics, and innovation.
Competing in athletics as the Bruins, UCLA has won 123 NCAA team championships in the
Pac-12, second only to Stanford
University. Among their sports achievements, basketball
features their most impressive victories, owing to Coach
John Wooden.
About Coach John
Wooden: John Wooden
was an American college basketball coach who led the UCLA Bruins to
10 championships in 12 years, winning seven consecutively between
1967 and 1973. He mentored players who would achieve notable
success in the pros, with Kareem
Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Walton,
and Gail Goodrich among them. He was
named the NCAA College Basketball Coach of the Year six times and
was the first to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball
Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach. Apart from his many
accolades, he was celebrated for his philosophies and teachings
that, over the years, have transcended the sport of basketball. His
deep care and encouragement drove his athletes to apply a standard
of excellence to every part of their lives.
About Paul
Weissenstein: Paul
Weissenstein is a former collegiate Division 1 strength and
performance coach, most notably working with Hall of Fame
basketball coach, Bill Self at the
University of Illinois. Most recently
Paul coached at Sierra Canyon High School, where he assisted in the
development of its highly ranked volleyball and basketball
programs. In addition to training numerous athletes, Paul has
transitioned into writing, producing, and adapting books into
motion picture projects, including the screenplay based on
John Vallely's life and "The Pyramid
Principle".
About Dribble for Victory Over Cancer: Dribble for
Victory Over Cancer combines the efforts of the Pediatric Cancer
Research Foundation (PCRF) and the V. Foundation for Cancer
Research to combat childhood cancer. This movement builds on the
community engagement efforts introduced by the PCRF, UCLA, and St. John's
University. Ahead of the season, participating college
basketball teams host events on campus early in the fall.
Participants dribble through short on-campus routes to raise funds
and awareness for pediatric cancer research. The events allow
individuals, families, clubs, and teams to connect with the
basketball community, all while contributing to a brighter future
for kids and families battling cancer.
Media Contact
Jeremy
Lorin
1-888-800-3744
jeremy@spiritmedia.us
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SOURCE Spirit Media Inc.