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Book Review: Jay Wright’s “Attitude”

Villanova head coach makes his publishing debut following the 2016 National Championship in a book that shares his leadership lessons which can be applied to any team.

By Mike J.

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The cover of Jay Wright’s book, Attitude. Penguin Random House Publishers

Jay Wright’s first book, Attitude, hits the store shelves on February 28th. VU Hoops was able to land an advanced copy of the book, and we’re sure this work will be on the must-have list for any Villanova fan.

Written with the help of Villanova’s Director of Media Relations, Mike Sheridan, and the consulting of Mark Dagostino, the book focuses on "Develop a Winning Mindset on and off the Court". It is a behind-the-scenes making of a national championship, but readers will find more than a recounting of Nova’s 2015-16 season by Wright in the work.

Starting with the Wildcats’ second round loss in the 2015 NCAA Tournament to NC State, the work uses that following summer, a background on Wright’s passion for Villanova, and the 2016 season as an arc for the book. The Head Coach focuses on personal growth in the shadow of preparing a team for a National Championship run and it is a guide for his philosophy that can be easily translated from sports to business.

Attitude, which includes an introduction by Hall of Famer Charles Barkley (whose daughter went to ‘Nova), is built around the many consistent themes of shared responsibility that ‘Nova Nation has come to associate to Wright and the current culture of the Villanova program, among them...

  • We play for those who came before us.
  • Stay hungry, stay humble.
  • Everyone’s role is different but their status is the same.

All in all, any business leader probably won’t be able to gain too much insight from Wright’s tips for success in leadership. However, for any Villanova fan the behind-the-scenes tales from practice, the recruiting path, and the simple memories of the 2016 National Championship Season run will make this book a great gift and a fantastic read.

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