'Billions' Season 6 Episode 5: Who is John R Wooden and what's pyramid of success reference?
Basketball references are a dime a dozen in 'Billions' and the Showtime drama gives UCLA alum something to smile about. Episode 6 titled 'Rock of Eye', pays a fitting tribute to their decorated coach John R Wooden and his famed 'Pyramid of Success'. The reference is also a key factor when it comes to decoding Mike Prince's (Corey Stoll) character on the show.
Around the four-and-half minute mark, Prince is seen sticking the 'Pyramid of Success' chart on the refrigerator, autographed by Wooden while he and Rian (Eva Victor) have a discussion after the latter makes a George Carlin statement only for Prince to admonish him as an all-time great, but not as good as Wooden. He also added that the coach's lessons were beneficial off-court as well.
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Who is John R Wooden?
For those unaware, Wooden was an American basketball coach and player who won ten National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) national championships in a period of 12 years as head coach of UCLA Bruins. The bigger achievement was winning the championship for seven years straight and was nicknamed the "Wizard of Westwood". He was one of the more respected coaches in the circuit and even coached former Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics stars, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton.
He was inducted in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 1960 and as a coach in 1973, the first-ever to be inducted in both categories. His pyramid of success has served as lessons for life not just in sports but also used as a winning template in corporate organizations as well. Wooden was also known for his seven-point creed:
(i) Be true to yourself.
(ii) Make each day your masterpiece.
(iii) Help others.
(iv) Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible.
(v) Make friendship a fine art.
(vi) Build a shelter against a rainy day.
(vii) Pray for guidance and give thanks for your blessings every day.
The episode also tells a little more about Prince's past and one of them is playing under Wooden. One of the examples he cites is when he was taught to wear his socks and shoes and lace them right — a timely reminder that it every season, they would start from the beginning. "We were champions for this season, not the next," he remarked ignoring Rian's quip about blisters.
The ultimate line he finishes with: 'Not self-help. Help. But not before he rewards his team with new Jordans and teaches them to lace it up — just like Wooden wanted. Whether Prince follows the seven-point creed is yet to be seen on 'Billions', but safe to say, the writing and the character development is meticulous and spot-on.
'Billions' Season 6 airs Sundays at 9 pm ET on Showtime.