A consumer’s guide to the best and worst of sports media and merchandise. Ground rules: If it can be read, played, heard, observed, worn, viewed, dialed or downloaded, it’s in play here.

What: “Be Quick--But Don’t Hurry”

Author: Andrew Hill, with John Wooden

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Price: $20

There have been other books written about John Wooden, and a few co-authored with him. Possibly none, however, matches this one for honesty, insights and readability. The author, Andrew Hill, was not a star player for Wooden. He rode the bench on three national championship teams. Instead, he became a star in his business life, advancing to head of production for CBS.

During his college days, Hill didn’t particularly like Wooden, believing the coach treated bench warmers different from the starters. He also disagreed with Wooden about the Vietnam War. When, on his first day of varsity practice, Hill and a teammate suggested that Wooden call off practice to honor a student protest, Wooden was unimpressed.

Hill, a star at Los Angeles University High, played for Wooden in the early 1970s. Only a few years ago, however, was he able to get up the nerve to call his former coach. From that call developed a friendship that led to this book, which is filled with anecdotes about Wooden as a coach, accolades about him as a person and his secrets for a successful life.

The title, “Be Quick--But Don’t Hurry,” was one of Wooden’s favorite sayings.

Last year, Neville L. Johnson brought out a 522-page book about Wooden. A criticism of that book was that Johnson fawned over Wooden. Hill’s approach in this 190-page book is much more balanced. The book also is better written, and the result for the reader is a deeper appreciation for Wooden.