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UCLA Basketball: The Top 10 Recruiting Classes Since 2000

By Mike Regalado

Jan 13, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General view of the UCLA Bruins logo before an NCAA basketball game against the Southern California Trojans at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 13, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General view of the UCLA Bruins logo before an NCAA basketball game against the Southern California Trojans at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 23, 2017; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) reacts after a play against the Houston Rockets during the first quarter in game four of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 23, 2017; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) reacts after a play against the Houston Rockets during the first quarter in game four of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

10. 2006 Recruiting Class

4*: Russell Westbrook, James Keefe

NR: Nikola Dragovic

The 10th best recruiting class since the year 2000 has to be the 2006 group which added some firepower to the Bruins to their string of Final Four runs.

With Jordan Farmar making the jump to the NBA after his sophomore season and Darren Collison needing a backup, Ben Howland was able to bring in a little known guard from LA by the name of Russell Westbrook. I wonder if you’ve heard of him?

Westbrook was patient, willing to learn and such a potent force when he was on the court. He was another gem Howland was able to pick out and paid dividends in the two years he was in Westwood.

Along with power forward James Keefe, this class was helping the Bruins reload on an already deep and star-studded team.

The only drawback was Nikola Dragovich who was basically a black eye in the era of Howland. Seriously, what was up with that hot tub pick, Nikola?