UCLA’s Own Version of the “Fab Five” Is Here, and Ready to Roll

The return of basketball is here and so are the UCLA Bruins, who are looking for their fourth consecutive Final Four appearance under Head Coach Ben Howland.

Although the North Carolina Tar Heels are early season favorites with Tyler Hansbrough anchoring the boards, do not count out the young Bruins.

This season's squad is their youngest team in years and that can translate into early growing pains, despite being ranked No. 4 on the AP poll.

Over the past years, players like Jordan Farmar, Aaron Afflalo, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love have all left their lasting impressions on the UCLA hardwood.

At the beginning of last year, after another Final Four appearance the year before, I said to myself that UCLA, with the addition of then freshman Kevin Love, had their best chance at a national championship. That dream ended last April with a 78-63 defeat to the Memphis Tigers. This year, the Final Four looks even more difficult to reach.

In the NBA draft, UCLA lost their best big man in a long time in Kevin Love, defensive star Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, and the dangerous shooting wingman Russell Westbrook.

The 6'10" former UCLA forward Love, usually averaged a double-double per game during his one season UCLA while Mbah a Moute wreaked havoc on defense. Westbrook, then a sophomore, quickly became an explosive scorer.

Thanks to a great draft class, the Bruins will have a shot at another Final Four, but it could also be there downfall. They have experienced veterans, All-American Darren Collison at point guard, the arc man in Michael Roll, and Alfred Aboya with James Keefe will have to work fast to get what could be the next “Fab Five” ready to roll.

UCLA Freshman Shooting Guard Jrue Holiday, Guard Malcolm Lee, Guard Jerime Anderson, 6'10" J’Mison Morgan, and Drew Gordon are perhaps the best overall freshman class to enter UCLA in the past 20 years.

They all must learn fast if UCLA is to have any chance at making another Final Four appearance, and much less a national championship.

UCLA kicked off their season with wins over the Prairie View A&M Panthers and the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks. The five freshmen have gotten off to some what of a slow start, but at the same time, showed flashes of talent.

Forward Drew Gordon scored six points and brought down eight rebounds in game one, while guard Malcolm Lee scored 12 points in.

Veterans Darren Collison, Josh Shipp, and Michael Roll combined for 41 of the Bruins' points in a narrow 64-59 victory over Miami (Ohio).

Look for the “new fab five” to step up and keep UCLA in the national championship race, and as the season gets tougher, so will these five freshmen.