UCLA Basketball: Top Players Currently in NBA

The UCLA Bruins basketball program is synonymous with not only success, but with churning out players to the NBA almost annually. 

A total of 15 former Bruins are currently playing in the NBA, which is tied with Duke for the most out of any college.

Former Bruin greats such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Marques Johnson, Bill Walton, Reggie Miller and Sidney Wicks have represented the Bruins family extremely well in the pro ranks. 

Interestingly enough, every single player on this list played under the tutelage of current UCLA head coach Ben Howland. That truly speaks to the notion of how good Howland is at developing players and preparing them for the rigors of the NBA.

Let's take a look at the top UCLA basketball players currently in the NBA.

(Baron Davis, when healthy and active, would be on this list.)

Former Bruins currently in the NBA who didn't make this list: Jason Kapono, Matt Barnes, Ryan Hollins, Tyler Honeycutt, Malcolm Lee, Earl Watson and Baron Davis.

8. Jordan Farmar: Point Guard for New Jersey Nets

The Los Angeles native was a big reason for the renaissance of the basketball program under Ben Howland. By his sophomore season, Jordan Farmar led UCLA to the Final Four as its starting point guard.

After winning two rings with the Los Angeles Lakers, he made the move to New Jersey—where he's currently the back-up point guard to Deron Williams.

While he's currently not having a ton of success on an 8-15 team, he will forever be revered in the eyes of UCLA fans.

Along with Arron Afflalo, Farmar was a cornerstone in the revitalization of the UCLA program and its rise back to prominence.

7. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute: Forward for Milwaukee Bucks

Attention! Attention! The prince is here!

I'm not kidding, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute really is a prince.

The son of a village chief, Mbah a Moute grew up in Cameroon before making the trek to the United States. 

During his time at UCLA, he instantly became a fan favorite with his immense hustle and defensive capabilities.

A combination of constant effort and impressive athleticism made him one of the best defensive players in the country during his time in Westwood. In 2006, he was even named as the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year.

Those same stellar defensive principles that made him such a valuable player have effectively translated over to the Milwaukee Bucks today.

While he isn't much of an offensive threat, he utilizes his extremely long arms and wonderful lateral quickness to make it difficult for any opposing player he defends against.

For UCLA fans, he'll always be remembered for making this play (start at the 50-second mark).

6. Trevor Ariza: Forward for New Orleans Hornets

Trevor Ariza only played one year for the Bruins, but he's turned out to be a productive player at the professional level.

The unselfish swingman does all of the little things out on the floor to help his team. He "hangs his hat" on effort and energy, which has helped to carve out a nice niche for him in the league.

Simply put, Ariza is the epitome of a "glue guy."

As a small forward, he's a true slasher, who often displays impressive athleticism when attacking the rim. His extremely long arms help to make him a good defender and can frequently disrupt passing lanes, while getting multiple deflections per game.

Think Lakers fans wish they still had Ariza over Metta World Peace?

5. Darren Collison: Point Guard for Indiana Pacers

Along with Arron Afflalo, Darren Collison has to be one of my favorite Bruins of all time.

He was a true floor general during his time in Westwood. Not only was he an All-Conference performer in multiple years, but he also helped bring the Bruins to back-to-back-to-back Final Four appearances.

As a point guard in college, Collison had every quality you'd look for. His leadership skills helped to create the lasting legacy of the great guard during his time at UCLA. 

He led the Pacers to a playoff appearance last year and looks to do the same this season.  

4. Arron Afflalo: Shooting Guard for Denver Nuggets

Arron Afflalo personifies the term "character."

He's a consummate team player and a great guy to have in the dressing room. During his tenure at UCLA, he was the emotional ringleader of the team.

His personality exudes class, confidence and leadership. As an alum, I'm proud that he represents the university from which I graduated.

With the Denver Nuggets, he's turned into one of the better defensive shooting guards in the game. 

As Afflalo's career has progressed in the NBA, he's evolved into more of an all-around player on the offensive end of the floor as opposed to solely a three-point shooter. He's more apt to take the ball to the cup as opposed to just camping out on the three-point line as he did earlier in his career.

Another interesting tidbit about Afflalo is that he was Ben Howland's first recruit at UCLA.

3. Jrue Holiday: Point Guard for Philadelphia 76ers

Jrue Holiday is a big reason why Philadelphia currently sits with the second-best record in the Eastern Conference at 16-6.

The vast potential Holiday had coming out of high school wasn't seen much at UCLA, but it's beginning to appear during his pro career.

His vision as a passer has improved vastly as has his outside shooting since entering the league. Defensively, he's above average and is a very good rebounding guard. 

If Holiday continues to progress at his current level, his trajectory will continue to rise. At this point, he's established himself as one of the better young point guards in the league.

2. Russell Westbrook: Point Guard for Oklahoma City Thunder

Supremely athletic. Electric. Fantastic. Amazing.

Any of the above adjectives can aptly describe Russell Westbrook.

The lightly recruited combo guard was a hidden gem unearthed by Ben Howland and his staff. Westbrook only averaged 3.4 PPG in his freshman year. 

By his sophomore year, he jumped up to 12.7 PPG and established himself as a great on-ball defender. Westbrook was considered to be a raw, high-upside athlete and thus left early for the NBA draft, where he was taken fourth overall by Oklahoma City.

Westbrook, along with Kevin Durant, help to make up one of the deadliest duos in all of the NBA.

In only his third season, Westbrook was an All-Star and made the All-NBA Second Team. He most definitely holds the status of being a top-five point guard in the league. 

1. Kevin Love: Power Forward for Minnesota Timberwolves

If you're looking for a double-double machine, look no further than Kevin Love. 

The multifaceted power forward can bully you inside with his strength, shoot from distance with his impressive range, or take you off the dribble with his vast skill set.

Some people were skeptical at how good Love would be in the pros, but he's more than answered the bell.

Aside from being fundamentally sound, he's extremely intelligent and has a passing ability unparalleled with anyone else playing his position. 

There's no denying his incredible production (25.5 PPG, 13.5 RPG) and he might be arguably the best power forward in the league today.

In his only year at UCLA, he helped to take it to a Final Four appearance. For the season as a freshman, he averaged 17.5 PPG and 10.6 RPG.