University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Men's Basketball Program Well-Represented in NBA
November 14, 2023 | Men's Basketball
The NBA's regular-season has tipped off, and 11 former UCLA players have competed so far in the early portion of the schedule this fall. In all, UCLA has 14 former players on NBA rosters this month.
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Former UCLA guard Zach LaVine has averaged 21.9 points and 4.8 in 11 games with the Chicago Bulls, now in his 10th NBA season. A first-round pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves after his freshman year at UCLA, LaVine has averaged 20.5 points per game in 566 career contests.
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Through the season's first month, LaVine is one of four former UCLA players to have averaged at least 10 points per game. Joining LaVine in that category are Russell Westbrook and Norman Powell of the Los Angeles Clippers and Jrue Holiday of the Boston Celtics.
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Westbrook, who has entered his 16th NBA season, has averaged 14.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.7 assists in 10 games with the Clippers. A two-year standout with the Bruins in 2006-07 and 2007-08, Westbrook has shot 46.5 percent from the field this season.
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Powell, now in his ninth year in the NBA, has averaged 12.8 points and 1.9 rebounds in 10 games off the bench with the Clippers. He has shot 52.9 percent from the field and 45.5 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. Westbrook and Powell are now in their second season playing alongside each other with the Clippers. Westbrook was acquired by the Clippers midway through the 2022-23 season, and Powell is back in Los Angeles for his second full year with the Clippers.
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Holiday has entered his first season with the Boston Celtics and his 15th year in the NBA. He spent the past three seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks before Boston acquired him prior to the 2023-24 season. Holiday has averaged 12.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.5 assists in 10 games (10 starts) with Boston. He has shot 45 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from 3-point territory.
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Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kevin Love have played strong roles for the Miami Heat this season. Jaquez Jr. was selected No. 18 in the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft and has played in 10 games as a rookie (making three starts). A second-team collegiate All-American last year, Jaquez Jr. has averaged 9.1 points and 3.4 rebounds for Miami. Love has averaged 7.8 points and 5.5 rebounds in six games (three starts) with the Miami Heat.
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Kyle Anderson, now in his 10th NBA season, is with the Minnesota Timberwolves for the second consecutive year. Anderson, who starred at UCLA in 2012-13 and 2013-14, has averaged 7.5 points, 4.1 assists and 3.9 rebounds through 10 games. He has shot 55.4 percent from the field.
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Kevon Looney has entered his ninth NBA season, all with the Golden State Warriors. Looney played in all 82 regular-season games with Golden State in 2021-22 and 2022-23 and has competed in all 12 games for the Warriors this fall. Looney is averaging 5.5 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, while shooting 61.7 percent from the field.
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Aaron Holiday, now in his sixth NBA season, agreed to a contract with the Houston Rockets in the offseason after having played for the Atlanta Hawks last year. Holiday has averaged 5.1 points and 1.6 rebounds in seven games with Houston.
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Peyton Watson enters his second year in the NBA, after having been selected in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets. Watson, who played at UCLA as a freshman in 2021-22, has averaged 4.8 points and 1.7 rebounds in 11 games this season with Denver.
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Amari Bailey has appeared in one game with the Charlotte Hornets, having been selected by the organization in the 2023 NBA Draft.
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Lonzo Ball (Chicago Bulls) has not played this season as he continues to recover from an injury. Jaylen Clark (Minnesota Timberwolves) has entered his rookie season and is rehabbing from an injury sustained at the end of his junior year at UCLA (March 2023). Johnny Juzang has inked a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz and has not entered a game yet this season, but saw action in 18 contests with the Jazz last year.
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