Two-time NCAA champion at UCLA under John Wooden — the guard who gave the dynasty its scoring punch.
Gail Charles Goodrich was born in Los Angeles, California in 1943 and attended UCLA University under coach John Wooden. He won two consecutive national championships (1964, 1965) as the offensive engine of Wooden's first dynasty teams — before Lew Alcindor arrived. He was a two-time All-American. His 1965 championship performance — 42 points in the title game against Michigan — remains one of the greatest individual performances in championship game history and stood as the record for decades. He averaged 19.0 points per game across his three seasons. His ability to score in bunches, using the full court and Wooden's high-low offensive system, made him the most dangerous scorer in the nation in those championship years. He was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in the third round of the 1965 NBA Draft. His professional career eventually saw him win the NBA championship with the 1972 Lakers — the team with a 33-game winning streak. His UCLA career produced two championships and a championship game performance that coaches still reference when discussing the greatest individual title game showings. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1996.
National Championship 2x (1964,1965)
Career Honours
- National Championship 2x (1964,1965)
- All-American 2x
- Final Four 4x
- ACC Tournament MVP