The Pyramid Principle: A Battle-Tested Hall-of-Famer Discovers UCLA Coach John Wooden's True Meaning of Success

by John Vallely, Paul Weissenstein

Overview

A Heart-Gripping Story of Championship Resilience in Life's Toughest Battles

"Read it in 5 hours and was moved to tears!"

The Pyramid Principle is based on the true and never before told story of Hall-of-Famer John Vallely. Filled with miraculous triumphs and hellacious heartbreaks, The Pyramid Principle masterfully depicts the impact of UCLA Coach John Wooden and his legendary "Pyramid of Success" he invested into all his players during his 29 year coaching career at UCLA. During Vallely's daughter's death from cancer and his own battle with cancer, Vallely would discover Coach Wooden's true meaning of success.

A Coach's Legacy of Heroic Love

"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."

"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."

A Portion of the Proceeds Benefit Pediatric Cancer Research

Published by SpiritMedia.US

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798893071153
Publisher:	Spirit Media Inc
Publication date:	11/19/2024
Pages:	236
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

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 wife Karen. Following their daughter's death from cancer, John and Karen have been heavily invested in the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation.John Vallely Battled the Best: 2X NCAA Champion at UCLAJohn Vallely Battled the Biggest: Fought against Bank of America and wonJohn Vallely Battled the most Brutal: Cancer survivor and warrior. His coach's proven life principles guided him and gave him the strength to fight with an undying faith.

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 before transitioning into writing, producing, and adapting books into motion picture projects."The most important thing in the world is family and love." Coach John Wooden

Editorial Reviews

01/13/2025

NBA star John Vallely shares his belief in the Pyramid of Success, a motivational model given to him by UCLA coach John Wooden, during his early days playing college basketball. When Vallely first hears his coach’s inspiring words—“the only one who will ever know if you’ve achieved your personal best is you”—he’s perplexed but curious. But once he jumps headfirst into Wooden’s material, he’s sold; throughout the rest of his basketball career, into his marriage, parenting, and Christian faith, he returns to Wooden’s principles to navigate a life beset by hardship—his nine-year-old daughter’s cancer diagnosis, his own subsequent diagnosis later in life, legal battles, and more.

“A worthy opponent brings out the best in me,” Vallely writes, and this emotive book takes that wisdom to heart. As he faces challenges both on and off the court, Vallely remains faithful to the tenants of Wooden’s pyramid, ultimately realizing that it led him to God, and that the "search for competitive greatness would lead us to faith.” He breaks the pyramid’s principles down step-by-step for readers, alongside intimate glimpses into how they played out in his own life, always with an uplifting, encouraging tone regardless of the crises he confronts. "When you’re facing the severity of the termination of your life, every affirmation of your survival is invigorating,” he pens—sentiment that will stir in readers a renewed sense of purpose for their own lives.

Whether coming up against a seven-foot-tall basketball opponent or a major corporation like the Bank of America, Vallely highlights the importance of maintaining his faith and fighting for just outcomes. His writing is infused with a striking balance of vulnerability and courage, a winning combination that lays the foundation for valuable life lessons, and his inclusion of personal photographs gives the book a close, familiar feel. This moving debut story of endurance, faith, and resilience will inspire.

Takeaway: NBA star shares life lessons passed down from a college coach.

Comparable Titles: David Grunfeld's By the Grace of the Game, David Hollander's How Basketball Can Save the World.

Production grades Cover: A- Design and typography: A Illustrations: A Editing: A Marketing copy: A

BookLife Reviews