Jamaal Wilkes, on whether or not his jersey retirement helped impart a sense of history on the current players: “Even if they don’t understand it, I think it gives the program a shot in the arm. They might not know John Wooden’s career, but they know of him, the icon. When you bring back an iconic figure like him through one of his players, I think it helps the program.”

Head coach Ben Howland: “It’s really special. For me in particular, I’m really disappointed I wasn’t out there. Jamaal was one of my heroes growing up. I’m a little kid in Goleta, Calif. The big star at the local high school (Santa Barbara) his senior year, after moving up from Ventura, is Keith Wilkes. Later on, when he went on to UCLA, I watched all his games. What a great player. The guy was an unbelievable athlete, player. Smart, skilled. … He’s such a classy guy. What a class act.”

Freshman Kyle Anderson: “It’s just a great impression. To put these four letters across our chest, UCLA, is a great honor. You have to play hard every minute out there because you’re part of a tradition that’s so rich.”