John Wooden on the mend after bout with pneumonia

Staff Writer

Feb. 27, 2009 2:34 PM PT

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Former UCLA Coach John Wooden is in the final stages of recovery from a bout with pneumonia, school officials announced today.

The 98-year-old basketball icon, who has been hospitalized since Feb. 13, was said to be resting comfortably.

‘My father is doing well,’ his daughter Nan Muehlhausen said. ‘His lungs are clear, and he has been eating well. We expect him to be released soon.’

Before falling ill, Wooden had attended a number of Bruins games this season and recently spoke to fans from center court during a halftime ceremony.

The family asked that fans refrain from trying to visit or even e-mail Wooden at this time.

-- David Wharton

Sports Now

David Wharton

David Wharton has filled an array of roles – covering the courts, entertainment, sports and the second Persian Gulf War – since starting as a Los Angeles Times intern in 1982. His work has been honored by organizations such as the Society for Features Journalism and Associated Press Sports Editors and has been anthologized in “Best American Sports Writing.” He has also been nominated for an Emmy and has written two books, including “Conquest,” an inside look at USC football during the Pete Carroll era.

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