In Reply to: Nebraska Roster Preview (updated July 27) posted by mh on July 27, 2026 at 16:07:50
Kris Johnson answered a question about this on his podcast, and it inspired me to ask Claude. The answers are below. I think they are a little biased by NBA results, and I would take Tyus over Toby Bailey, but it's still a nice list.
Here's a decade-by-decade breakdown of the three best UCLA men's basketball players, starting with the 1960s:
1960s
Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) — UCLA's greatest player ever. He was a three-time national champion, three-time National Player of the Year, three-time All-American, and three-time Final Four Most Outstanding Player. When he left UCLA, he held eight school records including the highest career scoring average (26.4 ppg) and most points in a season (870). The Comeback
Gail Goodrich — Averaged 19 points on 47.6% shooting for his career, teamed with Walt Hazzard to win the school's first title in 1964, then averaged 24.8 points in 1964–65. His 42 points against Michigan in the 1965 championship game was a finals record at the time. Yardbarker
Walt Hazzard — A two-time All-American who ran the point on the Bruins' first title team in 1964, winning Player of the Year honors that season and leading a perfect 30-0 campaign. He also won a gold medal for the U.S. at the 1964 Olympics. Bleacher Report
1970s
Bill Walton — One of the great players in college basketball history. Part of two Bruins national championship teams in 1972 and 1973, named Final Four Most Outstanding Player each time, averaged 20.3 points on 65.1% shooting and 15.8 rebounds for his career. A three-time national player of the year, his 1,370 career rebounds are still the most in school history. Yardbarker
Jamaal Wilkes — Playing alongside Bill Walton, Wilkes was a two-time national champion (1972, 1973) and consensus All-American (1973, 1974). He averaged 15.0 ppg and 7.4 rpg while shooting 51.4% from the field, later becoming a Hall of Famer with both the Lakers and the program. YardbarkerThe Comeback
Marques Johnson — A two-time All-American, Pac-8 Player of the Year, National Player of the Year in 1977, and part of John Wooden's last national championship squad in 1975. Johnson took home the first-ever Wooden Award in 1977. The ComebackSports Illustrated
1980s
Reggie Miller — A scoring machine who is second all-time in both average points scored in a single season (25.9 in 1986) and most career 30-point games (16). He ranks third on the all-time scoring list with 2,095 points and holds the individual season record for most league points scored (500) and highest league scoring average (27.8) in 1986. Bleacher Report
David Greenwood — Averaged at least 16.7 points in each of his final three seasons, highlighted by a career-high 19.9 in 1978–79. A two-time Pac-10 Player of the Year and consensus first-team All-American in 1978 and 1979, his 1,022 career rebounds rank fourth in UCLA history. Yardbarker
Don MacLean — A four-year starter (1989–92) and 1992 consensus All-American who set the UCLA record for career points (2,608), career field goals, most career 20-point games (68), and career games scoring in double figures (123 straight). He averaged 20.5 points and 7.8 rebounds for his career and is also the Pac-12's all-time leading scorer. UCLA
1990s
Ed O'Bannon — Led UCLA to a record 32 victories and the 1995 NCAA championship. His accolades that season included the John Wooden Award, Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four, and consensus All-American. He willed the Bruins to the title by scoring 30 points and hauling down 17 rebounds in the championship game. UCLA
Baron Davis — Came to UCLA in 1997 as a Parade All-American and Gatorade National Player of the Year. An exceptionally fast open-floor dunker and masterful ball-handler, Davis led UCLA in assists as a sophomore despite tearing an ACL in the NCAA Tournament at the close of his freshman season, then returned apparently unchecked in his development before being selected third overall in the 1999 NBA Draft. Bleacher Report
Toby Bailey — A big-time offensive producer from his very first game, Bailey was huge in UCLA's 1995 championship run, scoring 26 points with nine rebounds in the championship game and earning All-Tournament Team honors. He finished fifth on the all-time UCLA scoring list with 1,846 career points. Bleacher Report
2000s
Kevin Love — Was stellar in his one-and-done campaign, averaging 17.5 points and 10.6 rebounds while posting 23 double-doubles, earning first-team All-American honors and the Pac-10 Player of the Year award, then leading UCLA to the Final Four. Sports Illustrated
Russell Westbrook — Part of two Final Four squads (2007, 2008) while leading the Bruins in assists (167) and steals (63) in 2008. He earned All-Pac-10 honors as a sophomore and won Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. Sports Illustrated
Jrue Holiday — A two-year starter (2008–2009) who emerged as one of the most complete guards in the country in his sophomore season before being selected 17th overall in the 2009 NBA Draft. He went on to become a two-time NBA champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist.
2010s
Lonzo Ball — Ball spent just one season at UCLA, averaging 14.6 points, 7.6 assists, and five rebounds per game while sweeping All-American awards across the country. He was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. Sports Illustrated
Zach LaVine — Was an AP and Sporting News All-American as a sophomore, averaging almost 15 points and shooting 48.3% from three-point range before becoming a first-round pick. He went on to become a two-time NBA All-Star. Sports Illustrated
Kyle Anderson — Only played two years at UCLA but started 70 of his 71 collegiate games, averaging 12.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, and five assists per game for his career — an extraordinarily rare stat line for a college big man, earning him All-American honors. Sports Illustrated
2020s (so far)
Jaime Jaquez Jr. — The best UCLA player of the early 2020s by volume and longevity. He led UCLA to the Final Four in 2021 and was one of the program's steadiest stars across four seasons, ultimately averaging 16.9 points and 6.7 rebounds in his senior year before being drafted 18th overall in 2023.
Johnny Juzang — Had one of the most memorable individual NCAA Tournament runs in recent history in 2021, averaging over 22 points per game as UCLA nearly upset Gonzaga in the national semifinals. He was a second-team All-Pac-12 selection in 2021–22.
Tyler Bilodeau — The current standout for the 2025–26 squad after transferring from Oregon State, earning third-team All-Big Ten honors in his first season as a Bruin while averaging around 15 points and 8 rebounds.