University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Westbrook, Love Earn NBA All-Star Roster Spots
January 24, 2018 | Men's Basketball
Former UCLA standouts Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love have each been named as reserves for the upcoming NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 18.
Westbrook has earned his seventh NBA All-Star Game selection, the second-highest total for any former UCLA men's basketball player. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who starred for the Bruins from 1967-69, owns the league record with 19 All-Star Game selections.
Love has been named an NBA All-Star for the fifth time in his career. Aside from Westbrook (7) and Love (5), Gail Goodrich, Marques Johnson and Reggie Miller are the only other Bruins to have earned five NBA All-Star Game selections.
Westbrook and Love were teammates at UCLA during the 2007-08 season, helping lead the Bruins to their third NCAA Final Four appearance in three years. Westbrook was selected No. 4 in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Seattle Supersonics as the organization moved to Oklahoma City. Love was the No. 5 selection in that draft by the Memphis Grizzlies (and was immediately traded to Minnesota).
In two seasons at UCLA (2006-07, 2007-08), Westbrook averaged 8.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists through 75 games. As a sophomore in 2007-08, he registered 12.7 points and 4.3 assists per game, starting in 34 of the team's 39 contests.
During his freshman year in Westwood (2007-08), Love was a dominant presence for the Bruins and in the Pac-10 Conference. He averaged 17.5 points and 10.6 rebounds per game while shooting nearly 56 percent from the field and 35.4 percent from three-point territory.
Love was a consensus first-team All-America selection, earned Pac-10 Player of the Year honors and was named the conference's Freshman of the Year. Love is one of just three UCLA players in the last 20 seasons (along with Arron Afflalo and Lonzo Ball) to have been honored as a consensus first-team All-American.
Both Westbrook and Love are currently in their 10th season playing in the NBA. Westbrook, who has spent all 10 years with the Oklahoma City Thunder, has averaged 24.9 points, 10.0 assists and 9.6 rebounds per game this season.
Love, now in his fourth season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, has averaged 18.4 points and 9.4 rebounds per game this year. He has shot nearly 46 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point territory for the Cavs.
The 2018 NBA All-Star Game will take place at Staples Center in Los Angeles (Feb. 18, 2018) for the first time since 2011.
