John Wooden, college basketball's gentlemanly Wizard of Westwood who built one of the greatest dynasties in all of sports at UCLA and became one of the most revered coaches ever, has died. He was 99.

The university said Wooden died Friday night of natural causes at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, where he had been since May 26.

Wooden remained beloved by many of his former players, several of whom visited him in recent days to say their goodbyes.

Among them was Bill Walton, whose voice caught as he spoke of the man he hailed as a teacher first and a coach second.

"He's the greatest," Walton said the night before Wooden's death. "We love him."

Jamaal Wilkes said he recognized what he called "that little glint" in Wooden's pale blue eyes.

During his second visit Wednesday night, Wilkes asked Wooden if he recognized him.

"His glasses fogged up, and he had to clean his glasses," Wilkes said. "He looked at me and said, 'I remember you, now go sit down.'"

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre and current UCLA coach Ben Howland were among Wooden's final visitors.

"I just enjoyed him and the twinkle in his eye," Howland said, noting Wooden told a few jokes from his hospital bed. "I'm just the steward of this program. It's always going to be his program.