Go Joe Bruin ranks the 10 best UCLA Basketball recruiting classes since the year 2000. Prepare for your mind to be blown.
The UCLA Basketball team has had some epic recruiting classes throughout time.
Nothing as epic as having players like Lew Alcindor, Bill Walton and Jamaal Wilkes in your class, but it has been close as there have been several great players that have made UCLA Basketball what it is, especially in the modern era.
That is why we are going to take a look at some of the best recruiting classes to come to Westwood since the year 2000.
Related Story: The UCLA Basketball All-Time Team
Several of these classes have made huge contributions to UCLA Basketball and individual players have gone on to be successful and play professionally. But for the most part, these ten classes have been the most influential and really made an impact with their time at UCLA since 2000.
Though the rankings are for the most part opinion based, several factors were taken into account: the number of recruits in a class, the number of 4 and 5-star players, their impact during their time in Westwood, individual success and career after UCLA.
So which group of players has the best class since the year 2000? Let us find out…
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?
9. 2009 Recruiting Class
5*: Tyler Honeycutt
4*: Mike Moser, Anthony Stover, Brendan Lane
3*: Reeves Nelson
Ben Howland did an excellent job recruiting, especially in the beginning when he was starting off of as the new Bruin head coach. Along the way he changed his approach to recruiting which became hit or miss, even with elite recruits.
Despite the fact that this 2009 class was bringing in a lot of talent, it would also the start of the downfall for the Bruins in the Howland era. The majority of these players had talent, but they also a bit too much attitude.
There was no denying that this team played competitive basketball, but off-court antics proved too much for Howland to handle. This lead to a Sports Illustrated expose on the Bruins as well as Howland and how he had lost control of the team and allowed a player like Reeves Nelson to dictate the path of the program.
This was a good recruiting class, but it did not amount to a lot.
8. 2007 Recruiting Class
5* Kevin Love
4*: Chase Stanback
Though five-star recruits are very good for your class, in this modern era of college basketball, having only one elite recruit in your class just will not cut it.
Kevin Love was the biggest recruit that Howland signed in his tenure and he did not disappoint. Aside from dominating the boards and averaging double-digit points, Love helped the Bruins get to their third straight Final Four.
Individually, Love is up there as one of the biggest recruits to sign with UCLA since 2000 along with Shabazz Muhammad, Lonzo Ball and Jordan Farmar. He not only proved his worth in his single year in Westwood, but he also has proven to be a solid role player for the reigning NBA Champion Cleveland Cavaliers.
Stanback did not exactly have a chance to show his skills with the Bruins. The majority of the time he was in blue and gold was on the bench. After one season, Stanback transferred to UNLV.
7. 2008 Recruiting Class
5*: J’mison Morgan, Jrue Holiday
4*: Drew Gordon, Malcolm Lee
3*: Jerime Anderson
This class has so much potential yet was quite disappointing in the long run. After striking out on a championship in his 3 Final Four runs, Howland changed his approach to recruting and tried to get top prospects rather than players that fit his system.
The most successful player out of this class was Holiday who was unfortunately a one-and-done as there was a logjam at the point guard spot with Collison staying one more year. Holiday has had a successful career in the NBA thus far.
“Bobo” Morgan was a bust, to say the least. Gordon clashed with Howland and transferred after two seasons. Lee had a pretty decent career but left after three years. Anderson ran with the wrong crowd his first couple years but was matured in his final two years.
The potential for this class was limitless. Too bad attitudes kept them limited from success.
6. 2012 Recruiting Class
5*: Tony Parker, Shabazz Muhammad, Kyle Anderson
4*: Jordan Adams
This was the class that was going to bring Ben Howland back into the spotlight. Howland had to shake off the rust of a few underwhelming recruiting cycles but was able to once again bring together players that were not only talented, but worked well in his system.
Muhammad was Howland’s biggest recruit since Kevin Love. He didn’t set the world on fire, but he was a very good pick up for the Bruins. Anderson was an interesting player that was enjoyable to watch, in a weird way. He was given the nickname “Slowmo” because he paced himself down the court, but he had great vision and was effective on the boards.
Parker played all four years, but never became the player many thought he could be.
The surprise in this class was Adams who became a very reliable shooter. He was also responsible for the game-clinching shot for UCLA over Arizona in the 2012 Pac-12 Tournament Championship. Like Anderson and Mohammed, Adams is also finding some success in the NBA.
5. 2001 Recruiting Class
Cedric Bozeman, Dijon Thompson, Josiah Johnson, Andre Patterson, Ryan Walcott
This was the last great recruiting class of the Steve Lavin era as all five players were going to play an intricate part with the team.
Bozeman and Thompson played all four years and even got some time on Ben Howland’s teams. Thompson had averaged 12.5 points per game which was highlighted by his 18.5 in his senior year. Bozeman did not score a lot, but he was a key player in UCLA’s return to the Final Four in 11 years in Howland’s second year as head coach.
Johnson and Patterson didn’t get a lot of playing time, but Johnson did find some success off the court as he is currently one of the creators of Comedy Central’s “Legends of Chamberlain Heights”.
Walcott only played three seasons, and much of it was on the bench.
4. 2005 Recruiting Class
4*: Alfred Aboya, Mike Roll, Ryan Wright, Darren Collison
This class was loaded with talent as Howland’s second recruiting class. Just like the season before, Howland was known for picking gems out of nowhere. Mbah a Moute was not highly recruited but Howland saw raw talent and developed it. Howland also got a bruiser with Aboya who was the epitome of a Howland defender, tough as nails.
Roll came in as a solid outside shooter and did not disappoint. If he was on the outside you can guarantee he was sink a three-point shot. He played four years with UCLA. Wright never panned out with the Bruins and transferred to Oklahoma after two seasons.
As for Collison, well he was the second point guard to lead UCLA into the Bruins’ three Final Fours in the Howland era. He is Legend.
3. 2017 Recruiting Class
5*: Jaylen Hands, Kris Wilkes
4*: Jalen Hill, Cody Riley
3*: LiAngelo Ball, Chris Smith
This is a loaded class. And though it might be premature to rank them this high, the class is already turning out as something to be feared.
Hands is a very quick player with a high IQ and should do well leading UCLA’s up-tempo offense. Barnes can score all over and will most likely get a ton of minutes as a freshman. The same can be said about Riley. This class has a few tall players you can handle the ball as well as play away from it on the offensive end.
Hill not only can play offense but is known for loving defense. He will immediately help out with the interior and be an enforcer down below. Ball and Smith are two very good ball handlers and shoot well from beyond the arc. Believe me, this is going to be a fun class to watch.
2. 2016 Recruiting Class
5*: Lonzo Ball, TJ Leaf, Ike Anigbogu
Steve Alford‘s first big recruiting class did not disappoint individually, but they were not able to bring home any hardware in the process.
Still, you cannot deny how authentic and refreshing it was to have a player like Ball on UCLA and lead them back from the land of the dead. Not only did he help bring the team back to life, but he was humble along the way.
Leaf became a very reliable inside scorer and could put up 20 points easily. There were times where he would just have the ability to take over a game with his foot speed and intelligence.
Though Anigbogu did not play a lot of minutes, he has a lot of potential and a huge upside as a interior player. He has the ability to rebound and block but is also available for monster dunks.
1. 2004 Recruiting Class
5*: Jordan Farmar
4*: Arron Afflalo, Lorenzo Mata, Josh Shipp
3*: Deandre Robinson
This recruiting class brought toughness to the UCLA Basketball team. It was Howland’s first true class which was loaded with “his players “.
Not only was he able to find tough defensive-minded players, but he was able to do it all in Los Angeles area. Farmar was a valley boy who had great ball handling skills and determination as he lead this team to a Final Four in his second year.
With the help of Afflalo, the Bruins had an dangerous front court which was also able to shut down their opposition.
Shipp was an effective player that had a good outside shot. Mata was quiet but he was deadly underneath the basket. Both played all for years at UCLA.
The Bruins also have some experience playing professionally, in the NBA and internationally. Farmar has played in Israel while Mata currently place in Mexico. Afflalo currently plays with the Sacramento Kings.
Next: The 2017 UCLA Basketball Recruiting Class Has Big Shoes to Fill
All ten of these classes were great in different ways, with some being more successful than others. So can you imagine what the next 10 great classes look like? Although, truth be told, they would look even better raising a banner!