UCLA Basketball: Several Bruins Take Pac-12 Honors

Five UCLA Basketball players have received Pac-12 Conference honors, with three being named to the All-Pac-12 First Team.

Have you seen the list of UCLA Basketball players that have received Pac-12 honors? They are Bruins everywhere!

From top freshmen to all-defensive teams to All-Pac-12, the Bruins have made a huge impact on the Pac-12 and five of them have received recognition for it.

This incredible turnaround of a season where the Bruins went from 15-17 last year to 28-3 this season was fueled by these individuals who have rightly been honored by the Pac-12 Conference.

Let us take a look at each category the Bruins have been named to:

All-Pac-12 First Team: Lonzo Ball, TJ Leaf, Bryce Alford

All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention: Thomas Welsh

Freshman of the Year: Lonzo Ball

All-Freshman Team: Lonzo Ball, TJ Leaf

All-Defensive Team Honorable Mention: Lonzo Ball, Aaron Holiday

Let us start with the All-Pac-12 team. You read that right, there are three players named (out of ten total). Not only were Ball, Leaf and Alford scoring machines (all three of which were the top three point-getters on the Bruins), but halfway through the Pac-12 season when the Bruins had their re-focusing, which included a sprinkle of defense, these players helped lead the Bruins to a nine-game win streak.

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As for Ball and Leaf, both also made the All-Freshman team and how could they not? With both newbies scoring over in double-digits in almost every game, it was inevitable that these two would make this list. Although it was Ball who took the top honor of Freshman of the Year. You would be named that too if you put up 14.9 points, 7.8 assists and 6.2 rebounds per game.

Let us go back to the All-Pac-12 team real quick as Bruin center Thomas Welsh was named an Honorable Mention. Though he only scored 10.8 points per game, he was the closest Bruin to average a double-double throughout the season as he also added a team-high 8.7 rebounds per game.

And who says UCLA doesn’t play defense? Not the Pac-12 as Ball and sophomore guard Aaron Holiday were named as All-Defensive Team Honorable Mentions. Both players were often the spark on defense that led the team to incredible efforts on that end of the floor, especially late in the season.

So with five players being recognized as some of the top players in the conference, it is no wonder why they are rolling right now. The Bruins look to continue to roll this week as they start the Pac-12 Tournament on Thursday. Go Bruins!

Next: Bleacher Report Names Bruins to Post-Season Honors

Quick opinionated side note… Bryce Alford should have received Most Improved Player honors over Chimezie Metu of USC and Head Coach Steve Alford should have won over Arizona’s Season Miller. Just saying’. For the full list of Pac-12 honorees, click HERE.