Wooden Legend of Coaching Award carries special meaning for Gonzaga’s Mark Few

Mark Few’s trophy collection grew Friday night when he was presented with the John R. Wooden 2025 Legend of Coaching Award in Los Angeles.

It’s a particularly meaningful honor for Gonzaga’s head coach, who called Wooden “a hero of mine, an absolute hero,” shortly after receiving the plaque during the Wooden Awards ceremony at the Los Angeles Athletic Club ballroom.

“The way he represented not only himself, but UCLA and all of college basketball, was just so impressive. It stood the test of time,” Few said of Wooden, who led the Bruins to 10 national titles. “He truly walked the talk. It’s difficult as a human to do that so thoroughly as he did. All his lessons have held up.”

Few’s teams have qualified for every NCAA Tournament since he was promoted to Gonzaga’s head coach before the 1999-2000 season. He ranks fourth among active coaches with 44 March Madness wins behind John Calipari, Bill Self and Tom Izzo. Calipari (2024), Self (2013) and Izzo (2011) are previous Legend of Coaching Award winners.

Few learned he was the 2025 Legend of Coaching winner on Oct. 1, the same day Gonzaga announced plans to join the Pac-12 Conference, beginning in July 2026. He was interviewed on stage by ESPN’s Sean Farnham, who emceed the awards show that was streamed live on ESPN+.

“I’ve been blessed to have great players over the years that have been coachable and just amazing staff members,” Few said. “And just a wonderful, incredible administration at Gonzaga. We’ve all pulled the rope in the same direction. I think that’s probably very, very rare in college athletics.”

Few’s teams have won 22 West Coast Conference regular-season titles in his 26 seasons. He’s coached 18 draft picks and 28 Zags who have played in the NBA during his tenure. He’s been named Naismith Coach of the Year twice.

Few was a first-time finalist for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, but wasn’t one of nine selected in the 2025 class. He served as an assistant coach on Steve Kerr’s staff for Team USA, which captured the gold medal at the Paris Olympics last summer.

“Coach Few, congratulations,” Kerr said in a taped video. “Couldn’t happen to a better coach or a better guy. Just an absolute joy to watch you and all your success over the years, and even more to coach with you with the Olympic team these last few summers.”

Farnham asked Few what he would say about his career to a younger version of himself freshly graduated from the University of Oregon.

“Well, he wouldn’t believe it, I’d definitely tell you that,” said Few, who has 741 career wins and an 83.0 winning percentage. “I would just say take the time to enjoy every minute of it. It’s been an absolutely incredible, rewarding, fun, awesome adventure. I’ve been so blessed.

“I’d probably tell him God has a plan, it doesn’t always fit yours, but He has a plan and it’ll turn out.”

The awards show honored the best of the 2025 college basketball season. Duke freshman Cooper Flagg received the Wooden Award, presented annually to the best Division I male player, while USC sophomore JuJu Watkins won the female award.

Flagg headlined the Wooden Award All-America men’s team with Johni Broome, Auburn; Mark Sears, Alabama; Walter Clayton Jr., Florida; and Braden Smith, Purdue.

Watkins, who tore her ACL against Mississippi State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, was joined on the All-America women’s team by Lauren Betts, UCLA; Madison Booker, Texas; Paige Bueckers, UConn; and Hannah Hidaldgo, Notre Dame.