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Pro Bruin Rundown: Former Bruins to represent in Summer 2021 Tokyo Olympics

Former Bruin and 2013-2014 Pac-12 All-Freshman Team member Zach LaVine is one of more than nine UCLA alums who are set to compete at the Summer 2021 Olympics in Tokyo. The guard is coming off his first All-Star season in the NBA. (Daily Bruin file photo)

By Jordan Coyle

June 28, 2021 6:13 p.m.

Correction: The original version of this article incorrectly stated Abby Dahlkemper and Jessie Fleming’s league as the WSL. In fact, the league is the FA WSL.

This post was updated July 5 at 11:48 p.m.

As UCLA Athletics takes a break for the summer, professional sports are still in full-swing, with many Bruin alums representing. Each summer Monday, Daily Bruin Sports will take a look at the standout performances of former UCLA greats from the past week as we count down the days until fall.

 

Kevin Love, Cleveland Cavaliers; Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls; Jrue Holiday, Milwaukee Bucks, NBA

 

Three former UCLA men’s basketball players are Tokyo bound.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love, Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine and Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday have all committed to join Team USA’s 12-man roster for the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. With three former Bruins, the roster features more alums from UCLA than any other university.

https://twitter.com/sportscenter/status/1408062546825793543?s=21

Love, who won a gold medal playing for the 2012 Olympic team, is one of just three players on the roster with Olympic experience. The forward averaged 17.5 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists for the Bruins in 2007-2008 before being drafted in the first round of the 2008 NBA draft.

LaVine, a 2013-2014 Pac-12 All-Freshman Team member, was named an All-Star for the first time in his career this year. The guard averaged 9.4 points and shot 44.1% from the field and 37.5% from beyond the arc during his sole season at UCLA. This will be LaVine’s first time competing on the international stage.

Meanwhile, Holiday still has the NBA playoffs to focus on before he can set his sights on Tokyo.

On Wednesday night, the Milwaukee Bucks opened the series against the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference finals. Despite the loss, Holiday – the sole Bruin left in the NBA playoffs – put up a season-high 33 points, 10 assists and four rebounds.

In Game Two, Holiday – a three-time NBA All-Defensive Team member – led the charge for the Bucks on the defensive end by holding Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young to just 15 points in a 125-91 blowout win to even the series at one apiece.

https://twitter.com/bucks/status/1408630849281544196?s=21

Next week, Holiday will try and help his team take control of the series and advance to his first NBA Finals just weeks before competing in his first Olympics.

 

Sam Mewis, USWNT/North Carolina Courage, NWSL; Abby Dahlkemper, USWNT/Manchester City, FA WSL; Jessie Fleming, Canada women’s national soccer team/Chelsea FC, FA WSL

 

Three former UCLA women’s soccer players are also heading to Tokyo.

One-time Bruin teammates midfielder Sam Mewis and defender Abby Dahlkemper will be competing in the Summer Olympics as members of the United States Women’s National Team.

https://twitter.com/uclawsoccer/status/1407688499818422279?s=21

In their junior seasons at UCLA in 2013, the duo led UCLA to its first and only NCAA championship. After graduating, the pair played together in the National Women’s Soccer League, winning three championships together. Most recently, the former teammates defeated the Netherlands to win the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup with the USWNT.

Mewis was the 2014 Pac-12 Player of the Year, while Dahlkemper was the 2014 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.

The USWNT will face Sweden on July 21 to kick off Group G Olympic play.

The third Bruin heading to Tokyo will be competing against this American duo.

Midfielder Jessie Fleming, a 2019 UCLA graduate, will be competing for the Canadian national team. Fleming will be competing for her second Olympic medal, as she won a bronze medal in 2016 at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

https://twitter.com/pac12/status/1407811922754375682?s=21

While playing for UCLA from 2016-2019, the midfielder earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors all four years.

Team Canada begins its Olympic journey July 21 against host Japan.

 

Alys Williams, Maddie Musselman, Rachel Fattal, USA Water Polo

 

All good things come in threes.

Like for men’s basketball and women’s soccer, three former UCLA women’s water polo players – Alys Williams, Maddie Musselman and Rachel Fattal – will be competing at the 2021 Olympics.

https://twitter.com/uclaathletics/status/1407810001947697153?s=21

Williams, a four-time All-American, guided UCLA to the NCAA Championship game in 2014, 2015 and 2017.

Musselman was a 2016 Olympic gold medalist and a three-time All-American during her time at UCLA.

Fattal, a four-time First Team All-American, also won a gold medal at the 2016 Olympics. The attacker has played professional water polo in Australia since graduating from UCLA in 2017.

The U.S. women’s national water polo team will begin its pursuit of a third consecutive Olympic gold medal July 24.

 

Mackenzie McDonald, Maxime Cressy, USTA

 

Two former Bruins were pitted against each other for a spot in the Wimbledon singles main draw.

On Thursday, second-seeded Mackenzie McDonald defeated No. 30 seed Maxime Cressy in five sets to advance to the Wimbledon main draw. This will be McDonald’s second time competing in the tournament after making the fourth round during his Wimbledon debut in 2018.

https://twitter.com/usta/status/1408090299889504257?s=21

Both players won NCAA championships while playing for UCLA. McDonald won the 2016 singles and doubles titles, while Cressy won the 2019 doubles title.

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Jordan Coyle | Sports contributor
Coyle is currently a Sports contributor on the softball beat.
Coyle is currently a Sports contributor on the softball beat.
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