Jordan Brand Classic 2012 Proves UCLA Will Be Championship Contenders Next Year

Go ahead and get out your 2013 NCAA brackets and pencil in UCLA into the Final Four. The Bruins are about to be loaded with young talent.

The two highlights of the Bruins' 2012 recruiting class were busy dominating the 2012 Jordan Brand Classic, and proving that they will make sure the Bruins are a force next season.

UCLA-bound Shabazz Muhammad and Kyle Anderson participated in this elite high school event. The Jordan Brand Classic is a premier event for the best high school players in the country. 

It offers everyone a glimpse of what highly-touted recruits are capable of against elite competition. And in the case of Muhammad and Anderson, they are capable of a lot. 

Muhammad has turned All-Star competitions like this into his personal playgrounds. The 6'6" and 225-pound wing player has been a man among boys out on the court. His size, speed and strength have been unmatched, and he has been able to get to the rack at will. 

In the Classic, he was named co-MVP on the strength of 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting, and he did that in just 22 minutes. He also added four rebounds and a steal. 

And while Anderson wasn't honored with the MVP, his performance was just as promising. 

Anderson is a matchup nightmare. He is 6'8" and has the skill to play point guard. In this game, he had 14 points on 7-of-16 shooting. His stat line also reflects his versatility. He had nine rebounds, two assists and one block. He also had just two turnovers. 

These are clearly going to be two of the premier freshmen in the nation next year, and even more exciting for UCLA is that they are going to fit so well together—they were on opposite sides for this game. 

Muhammad will be able to play and defend either the shooting guard or small forward positions. Anderson can play either of those and point guard. They both can score, but they score in different ways. 

Shabazz explodes to the hole, while Anderson uses smooth moves and height. They both have a solid mid-range game, and Anderson has the passing. 

That kind of length and talent in the backcourt is going to be nearly impossible for any team to match up with.