Hey everyone, it’s your boy back at it again. Today, I’m diving deep into something I found pretty interesting – UCLA’s track record with NBA players. I mean, we all know UCLA is a big deal in college basketball, but I wanted to see just how many of their players actually made it to the big leagues.
So, I started digging around. First thing I did was hit up some general sports sites, you know, the usual spots where you get your sports news. I found out that UCLA’s got a pretty solid history. I mean, 11 NCAA championships? That’s wild. But it’s not just about college wins, right? It’s about how these guys do in the NBA.
Then I decided to get a bit more specific. I wanted names, numbers, the whole deal. I stumbled upon this one site that listed all the UCLA players who’ve played in the NBA. And let me tell you, it’s a long list – over a hundred players! I started scrolling through, and some names just popped out.
Like, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – this guy’s a legend. I even read somewhere that he scored 56 points in his first varsity game. That’s insane! And it wasn’t just him. There were so many other big names like Bill Walton, Gail Goodrich, and Sidney Wicks. I got lost in reading about their careers for a good while, I won’t lie.
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: No introduction needed, right? This guy is in every GOAT conversation.
- Bill Walton: Another legend. One of the best all around big men, not just from UCLA.
- Gail Goodrich: A name not talked about enough, but this guy was a scoring machine.
- Sidney Wicks: He was a force to be reckoned with in his time.
But it’s not just about the old-timers. I saw some more recent players too. It got me thinking, UCLA isn’t just about past glory. They’re still sending players to the NBA. I mean, as of August 2023, they are still regarded as an elite program.
My Final Thoughts
After all this digging, I’ve got a new level of respect for UCLA’s basketball program. They’ve produced some of the greatest players in NBA history, and they’re still going strong. It’s pretty cool to see how a college team can have such a big impact on the pros. I mean, Kentucky may have a slight edge with their 119 players compared to UCLA’s 105, but the quality of players coming out of UCLA? Top-notch.
Anyway, that’s my little deep dive for today. Hope you guys found it as interesting as I did. Catch you in the next one!
