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Harrick is also close to the legendary icon. He and Wooden have breakfast together and talk often on the phone. They share a love for the blue and gold.
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"Coach is as stubborn as ever," Harrick said. "He's 97, and last year he renewed his driver's license for five years! I called him last week, he's still recovering from his fall, and I said, 'How are you Coach?' and he said, 'OK, I'm kind of uncomfortable.' I said, 'Didn't they give you any painkillers?' And he said, 'Oh, yes, but I don't take them.'"
As for the team's chances to win a national title, Harrick thinks this is the best of the three straight Final Four appearances.
"On the negative side," he said, "some of the players aren't shooting well from the perimeter. No one ever zones UCLA and I don't know why. You pressure them you play right into their hands. On the positive side, they are just spectacular on defense. They have great hands, and I've always thought great teams have to have great hands.
"Teams get shocked when they experience UCLA's defense," he added. "Look at Xavier ... they were deer-in-the-headlights shocked. Western Kentucky looked like a Mack truck hit them."
Harrick will be in San Antonio for the Final Four, sitting in the UCLA section, rooting for another coach to bring a title home to Westwood.
