This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 12/31/2005.
Similar to the Heisman Trophy in college football, the John R. Wooden Award is the college basketball equivalent. Named after legendary UCLA men's basketball coach John Wooden, it is awarded annually to the most outstanding college basketball player by the Los Angeles Athletic Club. John Wooden was the first of only three to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach, followed by Lenny Wilkens and Bill Sharman. The full award consists of the Player of the Year award as well as All-American Team honors. Given exclusively to male athletes at the time of its inception in 1977, the award was extended to women's basketball in 2004. The Player of the Year award is a trophy consisting of five bronze basketball player figures, based on a sculpture by Don Winton, a prolific American sculptor whose work has appeared in the Smithsonian Museum. This is the prototype from which the original molds were made. Set on a 10 3/4" three tiered pentagonal wood base, there are five basketball players cast atop the platform. Each is in a different basketball pose, passing, shooting, guarding, etc. Each figure is white in color and shows incredible detail, down to the tiny bumps on the basketball. The tallest player representing the hook shot has been broken above the ankle but has been repaired. The prototype is EXMT-NRMT otherwise, with light wear. Comes with a pentagonal plexiglass case (with handle) that screws into the base.