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As the San Diego State men's basketball team continues to pile on pre-season accolades, head coach Steve Fisher got one himself, winning the John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching award on Wednesday, according to Mark Zeigler of the UT-San Diego.
How prestigious is this award, you ask? Only 17 coaches have won it, and that list includes Dean Smith, Mike Krzyewski, Pat Summit and Jim Boeheim. Fisher received the award at the annual preseason tip-off luncheon in Los Angeles.
The award recognizes lifetime achievements that correlate with Wooden's high standards of coaching. The award also takes into consideration student-athlete graduation rates and coaching philosophy.
Since winning a national championship with Michigan in 1989, Fisher has transformed SDSU from a forgettable program to the best in California, and one of the best in the country. As SDSU's head coach, Fisher has compiled a 312-176 record and seven NCAA tournament appearances.
The award gala will be held in Los Angeles in April 2015.
Not as if Fisher needed--or wanted--an award to tell him how great he is, but there's no question he is deserving of this award. The kind of compassion and care he shows to his players and his programs is arguably greater than any other coach in the country.
While players and overall teams are garnering some preseason accolades, the John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award may be the most paramount of all.