BASEBALL
- Pat Valaika, INF, Baltimore Orioles – Valaika and the Orioles came to an agreement on a one-year contract for the 2021 season. The former Bruin infielder had arguably the finest season of his five-year MLB career in 2020, slashing .277/.315/.475 (all career highs) while playing three separate infield positions defensively.
- Russell Westbrook – Russell Westbrook was traded to the Washington Wizards from the Houston Rockets last week. After having spent his first 11 NBA seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Westbrook averaged 27.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.0 assists in 57 games last season with Houston. Moving to Washington D.C., Westbrook will be reunited with former Oklahoma City head coach Scott Brooks (currently entering his fifth year as Washington's head coach). Westbrook played for Brooks from 2008-09 through 2014-15 in Oklahoma City. The 2020-21 season will mark Westbrook's 13th year in the NBA.
- Japreece Dean, G, Dynamo Novosibirsk (Russia) – Japreece Dean ('20) is playing in her first professional season overseas following her senior season with the Bruins.
- Kennedy Burke, G, Dinamo Sassari (Italy) – After a strong second-year campaign with the Indiana Fever in the "Wubble", Kennedy Burke ('19) has recently kicked off her second stint overseas. She currently plays for Dinamo Sassari in Italy.
- Monique Billings, F, Nadezhda Orenburg (Russia) – Monique Billings ('18) had a breakout season in her third year with the Atlanta Dream this past season in the WNBA and now plays for Nadezhda Orenburg in Russia.
- Nirra Fields, G (Turkey) – Nirra Fields ('16) continues her professional career playing overseas in Turkey.
- Atonya Nyingifa, F, Estudiantes (Madrid) – Atonye Nyingifa ('14) continues her longstanding professional basketball career with Estudiantes in Spain. Nyingifa wrapped up her UCLA career in 2014 and scored 1,570 points as a Bruin.
- Rebekah Gardner, G, Sfantu Ghorghe (Romania) – Rebekah Gardner ('12) continues her prolific professional career overseas with a stint with Sfantu Ghorghe in Romania. Gardner is a member of UCLA's 1,000-point club with 1,101-career points as a Bruin.
- Kenny Clark, NT, Green Bay Packers – Clark posted three total tackles from his spot on Green Bay's defensive line.
- Matt Dickerson, DE, Tennessee Titans – Dickerson made one tackle and has contributed at least one stop in each of his four games played this season.
- Ka'imi Fairbairn, K, Houston Texans – Fairbairn converted field-goal attempts from 52 and 34 yards and missed a 53-yard try wide right. He also made two of two extra points and reached the end zone on all five of his kickoffs, with two going for touchbacks.
- Darnay Holmes, CB, New York Giants – The rookie starter registered five total tackles and his first-career interception as the Giants won their fourth game in a row to remain in a tie atop the NFC East.
- Myles Jack, LB, Jacksonville Jaguars – Jack piled up 11 total tackles and recovered a fumble. His 85 stops put him on pace to pass his career high of 107, set in 2018.
- Joshua Kelley, RB, Los Angeles Chargers – Kelley caught each of his two targets for three total yards.
- Marcedes Lewis, TE, Green Bay Packers – Lewis caught one pass for 36 yards, the longest play of a touchdown drive before the end of the first half in Green Bay's 30-16 win over Philadelphia.
- Kolton Miller, OT, Las Vegas Raiders – Miller posted his first tackle of the season after Las Vegas QB Derek Carr threw an interception.
- Jacob Tuioti-Mariner, DT, Atlanta Falcons – The reigning NFC Defensive Player of the Week logged two total tackles, including one on special teams, in a reserve role.
- Kenny Young, ILB, Los Angeles Rams – Young posted two total tackles, including one for a loss of two yards, as the Rams won at division rival Arizona and moved into a tie atop the NFC West.
- ILB Krys Barnes (Green Bay Packers), OT Andre James (Las Vegas Raiders), OT Conor McDermott (New York Jets), CB Fabian Moreau (Washington Football Team), C Scott Quessenberry (Los Angeles Chargers), WR Matthew Slater (New England Patriots) and OG Xavier Su'a-Filo (Cincinnati Bengals) also played, but did not record any statistics. DT Eli Ankou and the Dallas Cowboys visit Baltimore Tuesday (5:05 p.m., PT on FOX).
- European Tour – Pedro Figueiredo tied for 51st at the South African Open in Sun City, South Africa last week.
- LPGA Tour – The Tour heads to Houston this week for the final major of the year, the U.S. Women's Open. UCLA alums Bronte Law, Ryann O'Toole and Patty Tavatanakit are in the field. In addition, incoming freshman Alessia Nobilio and rising sophomore Emma Spitz will be playing as amateurs. At last week's event, the Volunteers of America Classic in The Colony, Texas, O'Toole (T-33) and Tavatanakit (T-48) both made the cut.
- Reggie Cannon, D, Boavista FC (Portugal) – Started at right back, played the entire game, and helped record a clean sheet as Boavista battled Rio Ave to a scoreless draw on Sunday in Primeira Liga action. In all competitions, Boavista has now gone three consecutive games without allowing a goal, and is working on a shutout streak of over 340 minutes. Cannon has started every game for his club since transferring from FC Dallas in September.
- Ryan Hollingshead, D, FC Dallas – Started and played the full 90 as FC Dallas fell 1-0 to Seattle in the MLS Western Conference Semifinals on Dec. 1. FC Dallas had previously reached the conference semis after upsetting No. 3 seed Portland in the first round by converting on an MLS-record eight consecutive PKs (Hollingshead was one of the scorers).
- Kelyn Rowe, MF, New England Revolution – Appeared as a substitute and played the final 20 minutes of New England's 1-0 loss to Columbus in the MLS Eastern Conference Final on Dec. 6. The Revs were the No. 8 seed in the East and won three consecutive knockout games before falling to Columbus.
- Jackson Yueill – Following San Jose's elimination from the MLS Playoffs, Yueill was added to the U.S. Men's National Team roster for an upcoming friendly against El Salvador. Yueill has seven career caps with the USMNT. The U.S.-El Salvador match-up is scheduled for a 4:30 p.m. PT start on Wednesday, Dec. 9 (TV: ESPNEWS, TUDN, UniMas).
- A pair of recent Bruin alums, F Abu Danladi (Nashville SC) and CB Erik Holt (Real Salt Lake), had their 2021 contract options exercised by their clubs.
- Sam Mewis, MF, Manchester City (England) – Mewis played 25 minutes in Manchester City's 3-0 victory over Everton on Dec. 6. With the win, ManCity moved ahead of Everton to fourth in the FA Women's Super League standings with a 4-3-1 record.
- Jessie Fleming, MF, Chelsea FC (England) – Fleming did not play in Chelsea FC's 3-2 win over West Ham on Dec. 6. The victory was Chelsea's 12th consecutive WSL win at home and improved the team's league record to 5-2-0.
- Darian Jenkins, F, Bordeaux (France) – Jenkins was an unused sub in Bordeaux's 2-1 win over Soyaux ASJ on Dec. 5.
- Martin Redlicki – In Brazil for the second week in a row, Redlicki and partner Hunter Reese reached the doubles semifinal round at the Campinas Challenger event. The pair earned thrilling wins over Diego Hidalgo/Benjamin Lock, 6-7(8), 6-4, 1-0(9), and Matheus Pucinelle De Almeida/Joao Lucas Reis Da Silva, 6-1, 6-7(4), 1-0(10), before falling to top-seeded Luis David Martinez/Felipe Meligeni Alves.