Olympians, five-star recruits to don blue and gold

Every year, Westwood eagerly anticipates its next wave of superstar athletes – a result of UCLA’s reputation as a top-notch academic and athletic institution. Here are some incoming freshmen that Daily Bruin Sports is most excited to see competing in the blue and gold.

Lonzo Ball, men’s basketball

Ball is by far coach Steve Alford’s most decorated recruit, as the Chino Hills, California, native was named 2016 MaxPreps National Player of the Year, Naismith High School Player of the Year, Morgan Wootten Player of the Year and the Gatorade State Player of the Year. His rise to national attention began when he led Chino Hills High School to an undefeated season and state championship his senior year, and Bruin fans should be excited about his role as Alford’s first true point guard at UCLA. The lanky 6-foot-6-inch freshman ran a run-and-gun offense in high school, so it will be interesting to see how he will mesh into a more traditional college system. Nevertheless, Ball’s playmaking ability, court vision and athleticism make him a likely one-and-done candidate.

Jessie Fleming, women’s soccer

Three years ago, a 15-year-old Fleming became the second-youngest player to debut for the Canadian national women’s soccer team. Now with 36 caps under her belt, the bronze medal-winning midfielder hasn’t missed a beat since coming to Westwood. Fleming – after missing UCLA’s first two games because of the Olympics – scored three goals in the next two matches, including an overtime golden goal to defeat 2015 NCAA champion Penn State, earning her back-to-back Student-Athlete of the Week awards. Fleming is a member of last year’s No. 1 recruiting class in the nation, and after Mal Pugh’s decision to defer her enrollment until January, the Canadian wunderkind’s debut has garnered even more anticipation. So far, she hasn’t disappointed.

[Related: Fleming scores the golden goal as UCLA knocks off defending champion Penn State]

Madison Kocian, gymnastics

No one will come to UCLA with more Rio Olympics hardware than Kocian, the 5-foot-2-inch gymnast who won a team gold and an individual silver in the uneven bars as part of Team USA’s Final Five. Prior to the Olympics, Kocian was a member of two world championship gold medal teams and finished in a four-way tie for first place on the uneven bars in 2015. Although she’s primarily known as an uneven bars specialist, the Texan’s all-around game is strong as well. Kocian finished eighth overall at this year’s Olympic trials and sixth at the 2015 U.S. Nationals. Her addition to UCLA gymnastics will no doubt help make the Bruins – last year’s fifth place finishers – NCAA championship favorites.

T.J. Leaf, men’s basketball

ESPN.com’s No. 13 recruit in the class of 2016 was an offensive beast at Foothills Christian High School, averaging 28.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game his senior year. UCLA will need the 6’10” forward’s inside presence, now that Tony Parker has graduated and Jonah Bolden turned pro. Leaf showed he can handle the workload in the Bruins’ first game in Australia, tallying 21 points on 10/18 shooting and nine rebounds in 23 minutes. If he consistently shows he can both score on and defend collegiate big men, he might be the second Bruin taken in the first round of the NBA draft.

[Related: UCLA men’s and women’s basketball goes a combined 6-1 in Australia]

Maddie Musselman, women’s water polo

Musselman, another Rio gold medalist, will join the Bruins as one of the most dominating women’s water polo players from the 2016 Olympics. The 5’11” attacker tallied 12 goals for Team USA in addition to the 13 she scored in Olympics qualifying. But her resume extends far past that. Musselman took online classes her senior year of high school so she could focus more time on water polo, and that paid off. The Newport Beach, California, native helped the U.S. to gold medals in the 2016 FINA Women’s Intercontinental Tournament, the 2015 FINA World Championships and the 2015 Pan American Games. So it’s no surprise that the Bruins, with their top seven goalscorers from last year returning, will have one of the most daunting offenses with Musselman at the helm.