UCLA in the NBA, Regular Season in Review
April 13, 2017 | Men's Basketball
UCLA had 14 former players compete in the NBA during the 2016-17 regular season, with eight of those Bruins having helped lead their NBA teams to the playoffs.
Russell Westbrook, who played at UCLA during the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons, has emerged as a leading candidate for the league's Most Valuable Player award. Now in his ninth year in the NBA – all with the Oklahoma City Thunder – Westbrook became the league's second player ever to have averaged a triple-double, with regular-season averages of 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists per game.
Westbrook's feat had previously been accomplished by Oscar Robertson during the 1961-62 season. Since that NBA campaign 55 years ago, several players have come close to averaging a triple-double but have finished short.
Westbrook led the league in scoring (31.6 ppg), ranked third in the NBA in assists per game (10.4) and was 10th overall in rebounding (10.7). Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers ranked eighth in the league in rebounds per game (11.1) and averaged at least 19.0 points per game for the fourth time in his nine-year career.
In addition, Westbrook set the NBA's single-season record for most triple-doubles (42), one ahead of Robertson's mark of 41 triple-doubles during the 1961-62 season. He will lead Oklahoma City into the NBA playoffs as the Western Conference's No. 6 seed with an overall record of 47-35.
| Player | Years at UCLA | NBA Team | Record | Seed (Conf.) | Games (Starts) | PPG | RPG | APG | FG Pct. | 3-PT Pct. |
| Arron Afflalo | 2005-2007 | Sacramento Kings | 32-50 | 61 (45) | 8.4 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 44.0 | 41.1 | |
| Kyle Anderson | 2013-2014 | San Antonio Spurs | 61-21 | 2 (West) | 72 (14) | 3.4 | 2.9 | 1.3 | 44.5 | 37.5 |
| Trevor Ariza | 2004 | Houston Rockets | 55-27 | 3 (West) | 80 (80) | 11.7 | 5.7 | 2.2 | 40.8 | 34.3 |
| Matt Barnes | 1999-2002 | Golden State Warriors | 67-15 | 1 (West) | 74 (18) | 7.1 | 5.2 | 2.6 | 39.1 | 33.1 |
| Darren Collison | 2006-2009 | Sacramento Kings | 32-50 | 68 (64) | 13.2 | 2.3 | 4.6 | 47.6 | 41.7 | |
| Jordan Farmar | 2005-2006 | Sacramento Kings | 32-50 | 2 (0) | 6.0 | 1.0 | 4.5 | 33.3 | 44.4 | |
| Jrue Holiday | 2009 | New Orleans Pelicans | 34-48 | 67 (61) | 15.4 | 3.9 | 7.3 | 45.3 | 35.6 | |
| Zach LaVine | 2014 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 31-51 | 47 (47) | 18.9 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 45.9 | 38.7 | |
| Kevon Looney | 2015 | Golden State Warriors | 67-15 | 1 (West) | 53 (4) | 2.5 | 2.3 | 0.5 | 52.3 | 22.2 |
| Kevin Love | 2008 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 51-31 | 2 (East) | 60 (60) | 19.0 | 11.1 | 1.9 | 42.7 | 37.3 |
| Luc R. Mbah a Moute | 2006-2008 | Los Angeles Clippers | 51-31 | 4 (West) | 80 (76) | 6.1 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 50.5 | 39.1 |
| Shabazz Muhammad | 2013 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 31-51 | 78 (1) | 9.9 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 48.2 | 33.6 | |
| Norman Powell | 2012-2015 | Toronto Raptors | 51-31 | 3 (East) | 76 (18) | 8.4 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 44.9 | 32.4 |
| Russell Westbrook | 2007-2008 | Oklahoma City Thunder | 47-35 | 6 (West) | 81 (81) | 31.6 | 10.7 | 10.4 | 42.5 | 34.3 |
Including Westbrook, UCLA had six of its former players finish the NBA's regular season having averaged at least 10 points per game. Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers registered 19.0 points per game, while Zach LaVine averaged 18.9 points in 47 games (47 starts) before his third NBA season was abbreviated by a knee injury. Jrue Holiday of the New Orleans Pelicans registered 15.4 points per game, while Darren Collison (Sacramento Kings) scored 13.2 points per game and 13-year NBA veteran Trevor Ariza (Houston Rockets) tallied 11.7 points per game.
Westbrook, along with Love, Ariza, Kyle Anderson (San Antonio Spurs), Matt Barnes (Golden State Warriors), Luc Mbah a Moute (L.A. Clippers), Kevon Looney (Golden State Warriors) and Norman Powell (Toronto Raptors) have played roles on teams that will be competing in the NBA playoffs.
Love concluded his ninth NBA season – his third season with Cleveland – having logged 19.0 points and 11.1 rebounds per game. Love and Westbrook (10.7 rpg) were the only UCLA players to average double-figure rebounds per game.
Holiday, the older brother of UCLA sophomore guard Aaron Holiday, averaged 15.4 points, 7.3 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game for New Orleans and shot a career-best 45.3 percent from the field.
First-round matchups in the NBA playoffs get underway on Saturday, April 15. Each first-round matchup features a best-of-seven series, with the winner advancing to the conference semifinals.
