“Russell Westbrook Guarding OJ Mayo” Licensed Under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

 

Few college basketball programs are more synonymous with success than the UCLA Bruins. And that reputation extends just beyond the NCAA.

Oh, make no mistake, the Bruins continue to rank among the most watched and followed college teams on a year-to-year basis. Between the success of both the men’s (11 national titles) and women’s (1 national title) programs, as well as The Golden State’s general affinity for basketball, UCLA hoops is a religion. If sports gambling online in California were legal, college basketball betting would be one of top draws to customers, as MyTopSportsbooks.com’s Trent Reinsmith explains. And you better believe UCLA hoops would drive some of the most consistent interest.

Still, the Bruins do not just have a college basketball footprint. Their legacy reverberates throughout the NBA. The Association’s history is littered with top lottery picks who were Bruins. What’s more, plenty of UCLA alums have gone on to become NBA icons—current and future Hall of Famers.

Who are the best of the very best, though? Why, we are so very (that we’re forcing) you to ask.

 

 

• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

 

As if there was ever any doubt who would finish with the No. 1 spot. 

Until LeBron James recently broke the record, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. And while that milestone is what he’s best known for, his trademark sky hook shot continues to be practiced in driveways around the world.

No other Bruin comes close to touching Kareem’s legacy. He won six championships combined with the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks and finished his career with six league MVPs, two Finals MVPs, 19 All-Star selections and 15 All-NBA nods. 

By the way: This isn’t just a greatest-UCLA-Bruin-of-all-time situation. He is routinely mentioned among the absolute best players in NBA history, bar none. In fact, when Bleacher Report ranked the best NBA players of all-time this past summer, Kareem snagged the No. 3 spot, trailing only LeBron and Michael Jordan.

 

 

• Russell Westbrook

 

Russell Westbrook’s NBA legacy will be fascinating to reflect upon once he hangs it up. Though he’s a first ballot Hall of Famer by any measure, he has become a divisive figure across so many circles.

A shaky jumper and a reputation for stat-padding his way to triple-doubles are the primary culprits. The latter is actually part of his charm. Think about it: Westbrook amassed so many triple-doubles that he effectively numbed basketball fans to their occurrence. Now, nobody shrugs when Nikola Jokic or Luka Doncic tallies a triple-double. That’s because Westbrook churned out so many following Kevin Durant’s decision to abscond from the Oklahoma City Thunder.

At any rate, Westbrook’s credentials speak for themselves. He won league MVP in 2016-17 and has nine All-NBA and All-Star appearances. And while the stretch run of his career has at times been hard to watch, the meat and potatoes of his prime can only be described as a cumulative force of nature.

 

 

• Bill Walton

                                                                                   “Bill Walton 2008″ Licensed Under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0

 

Injuries severely limited the time Bill Walton dominated in the NBA. Across his 14-year career, he missed four entire seasons with various issues. 

Yet, his impact on the court was strong enough that many might actually rank him ahead of Russell Westbrook. This, of course, is debatable. Russ’ longevity is bonkers. But it says a lot that you can have a discussion.

Heck, some variation of this debate is happening now. 

Known primarily for his defensive and rebounding acumen, Walton was also an understated passer. His scoring outbursts were not smack-you-in-the-face absurd, but his value to a pair of Portland Trail Blazers squads that won a title remains undeniable. So much so, in fact, that Walton continues to appear in the top 50 of all-time-NBA rankings.

 

 

• Kevin Love

 

Kevin Love is so far removed from the peak of his powers that people seem to forget just how good he was during his prime. 

Never mind the 2011 Most Improved Player Award, 2016 championship, five All-Star appearances and two All-NBA selections. Love helped redefine what it meant to be an NBA big.

Sure, Dirk Nowitzki is widely credited with being the trail-blazer for sweet-shooting big men. But Love is among the players who took it to new extremes. His three-point volume and efficiency helped open up the floor for everyone around him, and he maintained his spacing roles while continuing to dominate the glass. You will be hard-pressed to a double-double streak or record in the NBA’s history books that doesn’t have Love listed somewhere within it.

On top of all that, the 6’10” big man is also known for his nifty standstill passing. Most notably, he is one of the players who popularized throwing hail-mary full-court assists (i.e. touchdown passes) after grabbing a rebound.

 

 

• Jrue Holiday

 

Jrue Holiday’s individual credentials pale in comparison to the other four on this list. Make no mistake, though, he belongs.

Not only is he a two-time champion and two-time All-Star, but he’s arguably the best defensive guard of his generation. He has never shied from taking on the toughest assignments. And he has the ability to scale down and disrupt off the ball even to this day.

Holiday seldom receives enough credit for his offensive contributions to boot. He has never been the most lethal scorer, shooter or passer, but he’s provided plenty of everything. There is not a team on which he won’t, not a player alongside whom he can’t play. He is the ultimate glue guy—a caliber of player UCLA isn’t necessarily known for producing, and who stands out