Bill Walton's Haircut

During my residency training, I used to occasionally (very occasionally) go on a run with some of my attendings.  Please remember that I was on active duty in the U.S. Navy during residency training, so my experience was perhaps a little different than most!  The attendings had different names for some of the different routes around the hospital, and one of my favorites was "The Bill Walton", so named because it happened to pass by the Hall of Fame basketball player's house.  It was a beautiful Southern California house with a lot of character!

Bill Walton played college basketball for UCLA's legendary basketball coach John Wooden (see my post "Believe" for more on Coach Wooden).  Walton grew up during the 1960's and played for UCLA during the early 1970's at the height of UCLA's unprecedented run of 88 consecutive victories.  Walton is a self-described hippie and huge fan of the rock-n-roll band the Grateful Dead.  However, his childhood was a little different.  He once said, "I was a skinny, scrawny guy. I stuttered horrendously, couldn't speak at all. I was a very shy, reserved player and a very shy, reserved person. I found a safe place in life in basketball."  During high school, he played basketball with his older brother Bruce, who would later go on to play football for UCLA and the NFL's Dallas Cowboys (Walton says that he and his brother are the only brother combination in history to win both the Super Bowl and the NBA championship).  Whenever Bill was treated roughly during a game, his brother Bruce would return the favor!

Despite dealing with a number of injuries during high school, Walton would lead his school to 49 consecutive victories and two state championships, and for this reason he was heavily recruited by UCLA.  Walton was already a huge fan of UCLA basketball and admitted, "I was John Wooden's easiest recruit. I became his worst nightmare. I drove the poor guy to an early grave when he was 99."  One of my favorite Wooden stories explains some of the difficulties he had when dealing with his superstar player.  It's the time when he told Walton to get a haircut.  

Coach Wooden had a rule that hair could be no longer than 2 inches, and there could be no facial hair.  Walton came to the first practice of his junior year after winning the national championship and being named a first-team All-American as a sophomore (freshmen weren't allowed to play varsity in those days) with long hair and a beard.  Wooden took one look and said, "What's this?  It's unacceptable."  Walton responded by stating emphatically that it was his right to wear his hair long.  Coach Wooden responded, "That's good, Bill.  I admire people who have strong beliefs and stick by them, I really do.  We're going to miss you."  Walton immediately left practice, hopped on his bicycle, and rode to the nearest barbershop for a shave and a haircut.  UCLA would go in another undefeated season and win another national championship.  Incidentally, the winning streak would end during Walton's senior season with a loss to Notre Dame on January 19, 1974.  UCLA's streak of seven consecutive national championships would end that year as well.  Walton would go on to an injury-plagued but still Hall of Fame career in the NBA.

Wooden had his rules, and he expected players - even his superstars (and he coached several) - to follow them.  Regardless of whether you are coaching superstar athletes or managing superstar employees, the leadership lesson is the same.  Treat the superstars the same way as the rest of the members of the team.  The same rules should apply equally across the board.