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UCLA Basketball: The 10 best men’s basketball players since 2000

By Mike Regalado

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 29: Norman Powell #4 of the UCLA Bruins celebrates after the game against the Utah Utes at Pauley Pavilion on January 29, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. UCLA won 69-59. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 29: Norman Powell #4 of the UCLA Bruins celebrates after the game against the Utah Utes at Pauley Pavilion on January 29, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. UCLA won 69-59. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES – MARCH 13: Jason Kapono #24 of UCLA looks to play the ball against Salim Stoudamire #20 of Arizona during overtime of the Pac-10 tournament game on March 13, 2003 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. UCLA defeated #1 ranked Arizona in overtime 96-89. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES – MARCH 13: Jason Kapono #24 of UCLA looks to play the ball against Salim Stoudamire #20 of Arizona during overtime of the Pac-10 tournament game on March 13, 2003 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. UCLA defeated #1 ranked Arizona in overtime 96-89. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) /

3. Jason Kapono (1999-2003)

Career Stats: 16.5 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.1 apg, 0.9 spg, FG% .469

Kapono was an unstoppable machine when he was at UCLA. In his four years, he received several accolades for his contribution to the team. Not only was he the first UCLA basketball player to make the All-Pac-12 first team all four years, but he lead his teams in scoring every year, another first for a Bruin.

Whenever the ball was in his hands, you knew that he was going to do something special. He had a fanatic shot which was hard to defend. If he was out in three-point line and he had the look, you could almost guarantee that it was going in.

Unfortunately, his talents could only get the team so far. In his first three seasons, the Steve Lavin-coached Bruins made it to the Sweet 16, but was unable to move past that in each year. It got worse when he was a senior as Lavin lost a bit of control and UCLA went 10-19 and missed the NCAA Tournament completely.

Still, it did not deter him from the NBA as he was selected in the 2003 NBA Draft by Cleveland. He played for five different NBA teams  before finishing up his career in Greece in 2013.