Bruin Basketball Report | UCLA Basketball

Bobcats Sign Ryan Hollins To NBA Contract

By Bruin Basketball Report

The Bobcats have signed second-round draft choice Ryan Hollins to an NBA contract. Terms of the agreement were not released.

"We were fortunate to get a player of his size and athleticism with the 50th pick," Charlotte coach and general manager Bernie Bickerstaff said. "He will have an opportunity to earn playing time with our team as he continues to develop."

Hollins averaged 7.0 points and 4.8 rebounds as a senior at UCLA last season. His stellar performance at center during the NCAA tournament helped propel the Bruins to the championship game against Florida.

"I have waited for this day to come for a long time," Hollins said. "I am thrilled to be joining a first-class organization and to have the opportunity to be a part of something special.

"This is a really talented team with a great coaching staff. I look forward to being a part of the Charlotte community and getting to know the fans."

Hollins played in only one game for the Bobcats' summer league team in Orlando before spraining his right ankle.

(BruinBasketballReport.com)

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (7/31)

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

Kevin Love, Renardo Sidney, Brandon Jennings & Co.'s eventual 31-point (84-53) victory belied the fact that their team looked anything but invincible in its 77-72 win earlier Sunday morning against the Michigan Hurricanes. I'll skip any details on that one since I've already forgotten them. The game was just another reminder why Love (29 points, 12 rebounds and four or five "I can't freakin' believe he just did that!" outlet passes) — who is expected to announce Tuesday that he will sign with UCLA in November — is without peer as a high school post player in the Class of 2007. Fox Sports 7/25

It is going to be very interesting to see how Kevin Love fits in at UCLA in 07. He is seemingly the perfect fit at the moment to play along side Darren Collison, Aaron Afflalo, and Luc Richard Mbah A Moute. The PAC-10 style of play is quite fast, and Kevin should be able to continue to be the “One Man Fast Break” he is at the high school level with his amazing outlet passes. While we will most likely see Love in the NBA some day, we may have to wait a little bit longer due to the fact that he doesn’t quite have the potential of many of his peers, although he is far more talented at the moment. DraftExpress 7/25

Kevin Love, the 6-foot-10 forward/center from Lake Oswego, who has generated as much recruiting interest as any prep basketball player in Oregon history, announced Tuesday at a news conference at Foothill High School that he will attend UCLA. Bruin Basketball Report/Oregonian 7/25

And, because of the talent Bruins coach Ben Howland is expected to have on hand when Kevin Love finally begins classes in Westwood some 14 months from now, the Bruins will be a consensus choice to reach the 2008 Final Four in San Antonio. By the way: If you are suspicious of the hyperbole surrounding Love — and it was being ladled on well before he attended his first high school class — then the presumption here is that, a.) you've never watched him play, and/or, b.) you don't have at least a rudimentary understanding of the elements that make up an elite prospect in the sport. Fox Sports 7/26

Kevin Love chose UCLA over North Carolina. And maybe you're happy for him today, but we also should grieve the fact that the University of Oregon, where his father played, wasn't even a distant third in the race for one of the most prized basketball recruits in state history.
If you ask his family, the Ducks weren't fourth, either. Not fifth. Not even in the top 20. Oregonian 7/26

Reebok Big-Time Championship Game: Southern Cal All-Stars 69, Mean Streets 63:...So Cal was led by Kevin Love with 20 points, 15 boards and three key blocks. He got solid support and a big helping hand from Daniel Hackett who finished with 19 big points. Taylor King had a big second half to finish with 13 points, and 6-3 point Brandon Jennings handled the pressure Mean Streets imposed to finished with eight points and six assists. CSTV 7/27

"I believe it," said Kevin Love, the aforementioned kid headed to UCLA. "We are the best AAU team ever." Love proclaimed this late Wednesday after leading the Southern California All-Stars (Los Angeles) to a 69-63 win over Meanstreets Express (Chicago) in the finals of the Reebok Big Time Tournament. Sportsline 7/28

Recruits

The Oakland Soldiers crew drew a strong Pac-10 crowd to their game. Arizona head coach Lute Olson was joined by assistants from Arizona State, UCLA, Cal, Oregon State, and Oregon. Assistants from North Carolina, Kentucky, Michigan and Louisville were also on hand, mainly to get a glimpse at 2008 prospect Drew Gordon. Gator Bait 7/25

How many of those who watched EBO, with a roster that included Jerryd Bayless, Jamelle Horne, Billy White, Matt Simpkins and Jeffrey Withey, expected the two-time defending champions of the adidas tournament to get bounced in the Round of 32 Monday night (71-63 by DTA Wisconsin 17’s)? An interesting thing about basketball: The team that has the most “talent” and gets the most AUTigers.com 7/25

Jrue Holiday's play was overshadowed by Austin Freeman's 33-point effort in an adidas Super Sixty Four semifinal victory by D.C. Assault Tuesday night at Desert Pines. But Holiday's four-day performance in the event left little doubt that the 6-3 guard from Campbell Hall in North Hollywood, Calif., and the Double Pump Elite team should be considered one of the five or so best prospects in the Class of 2008. A year from now he may be every bit as dominating a shooting guard as Freeman and Eric Gordon are right now. Fox Sports 7/26

Darrington Hobson, 2007 – Mr. Versatility had it rolling to the tune of 21 points, nine rebounds and four assists. They call him "Butter" because of his smoothness and his game was in true form. He did it all and helped his H-Squad team advance to Wednesday's play. Don't sell him short on confidence either. The three-star wing demanded that he be the new No. 1 player in the country twice in the middle of the game, beckoning media row to take notice loudly. Blue Demon Nation 7/26

Former NCAA head coach and National Champion Jim Harrick coached the Pump-N-Run team to the championship and said Harden is en route to a fantastic basketball career much like a couple of his former players....Harden didn't do it alone. Larry Drew was outstanding with the ball in his hands, scoring 16 points and handing out five assists. Try finding a point guard in the 2008 class that executes the pick and roll like he does. Jackets Online 7/26

Larry Drew, Jr., 5-10 from Taft High in Woodland Hills, Calif., added 15 points for the winners. The son of former NBA player Larry Drew is believed to favor UCLA over KU, North Carolina, Arizona, Stanford and many others. Lawrence Journal-World 7/28

Larry Drew 5-11 Jr. Pump-N-Run Elite - Frank Burlison says: Based on his play over five days and the increasing number of high-profile programs that are jumping on his recruiting bandwagon, it's reasonable to assume that he's at least the equal of any point guard in the Class of 2008. Fox Sports 7/29

(BruinBasketballReport.com)

(photo credit: Bruce Ely)

Giving Back One Last Time

By Sean Moses Staff Writer San Gabriel Valley News

Former UCLA Bruin Tracy Murray Opens Final Basketball Camp Monday

"Some professional athletes use their immense talent as their ticket out of harsh environments, turning their backs and not looking back.

Others recognize the importance the community played in their eventual success and make it their mission to repay those who made their prosperity possible.

As far as former NBA player Tracy Murray is concerned, giving back to those in need is in his genetic makeup.

Every summer during the past 14 years, before he would go off to NBA training camp, Murray held a basketball camp at Glendora High School, his alma mater, to help local youths improve their games.

The 2006 Tracy Murray Basketball Camp, which starts Monday, will mark the final year of an event that has impacted hundreds of young athletes.

"I have a (22-month-old) son of my own and it's time to concentrate on him and my family," said Murray, 35. "For the last 14 years, I haven't been able to spend time with them. My parents spend the whole year preparing for one week ...

Fourteen years is a long time; it was a good run. We all sat down and talked about it and decided this was the last year. It takes a lot out of me. None of us are getting any younger. It's time to do some family stuff."

Murray, who lives in La Verne, is no stranger to charitable acts. Throughout his entire life, he's made an effort to return the favors he received while growing up.

"I've been giving back since I was a kid," he said. "My cousin was born with spine abifida, so we grew up with the charity in us.

"I was a chairman for a charity golf tournament in Toronto for three years. When I wound up in Washington, I still went back to Toronto to do the tournament."

Murray hasn't been alone. His younger brother, Cameron, who established himself as an outstanding high school and collegiate basketball player in his own right, was right there alongside Tracy when it came time to give back.

"It's almost like a family reunion, and that date is something we look forward to every year," said Cameron Murray, also a La Verne resident. "The two that keep this family going are my mom (Candy) and dad. My dad (Robert) starts in May, just going around putting flyers out, and my mom's at home doing all the business part of it."

According to Cameron Murray, it has become more difficult for Tracy to receive financial support for his camp since his retirement as an NBA player in 2004.

"When Tracy was in the NBA, he would be able to get sponsors," Cameron Murray said. "Since he hasn't been playing, the sponsorships haven't been there and it's been hard to fund everything.

"We didn't get into it to make money, we came to help the kids. We don't want to make the camp something that doesn't satisfy the kids. We have a reputation to uphold."

Murray started the event with the idea of creating the best basketball camp in the world, and he thinks he has succeeded. Some athlete-run basketball camps are little more than a summer day care, but the Murray family has made sure their camp is top-notch.

"We pride ourselves on being the best basketball camp in the world. Not the country - the world," Tracy Murray said. "I stay there. There are some that just come and leave. Come the first day and the last and that's it.

"I don't get paid at all. It's about our family giving back to the community. The kids are our future. We want them to be better people, not just good basketball players."

Professional basketball players visit to talk to the kids and help them with their games, but they aren't the only ones. Police officers and firemen come by to talk and share the virtues of being good people in the community.

Murray stresses the value of getting a good education and having something to fall back on if sports doesn't work out. In fact, he made himself an example of that recently.

Murray went back to UCLA, where he left early for the NBA, and graduated in June with a degree in history.

"It felt great to put an end to that chapter of my life," he said. "Even with all the money you make and all the fame you get, at the end of the day, you still need an education. I'm glad to have gotten mine."

As one chapter in their lives close, the Murray brothers remain focused on helping area youths get an upper hand on the competition.

For the past two years, Cameron Murray, 30, has been training teenagers and pre-teens individually, giving them one-on-one instruction to help them become better basketball players. His new company, Prodigy Athletic, is designed for personalized growth on the hardcourt. Tracy helps his brother in this venture.

"As Tracy's camp kept going on, kids would be disappointed that the camp filled up and kids still wanted to work," Cameron Murray said. "So we thought of this."

Even with the specialized training, the Murrays want to maintain a charitable environment. Prodigy has and will continue to give out scholarships to children in conjunction with the Pasadena Boys and Girls club.

"Prodigy is not just about Cameron and Tracy," Cameron Murray said. "It's going to be about the kids and helping them develop. There are a ton of kids everywhere that need help."

(reprinted with permission)

(BruinBasketballReport.com)

(photo credit: Greg Andersen)

Learning To Take Their Best Shots

By Steve Galluzzo, Sports Editor Palisadian Post

UCLA Head Coach Ben Howland recently held a basketball camp for boys and girls ages 6-12 at Palisades High School.

[related article: One-on-One with UCLA Coach Ben Howland]

By the end of the week it was hard to tell who was having more fun--UCLA men's basketball coach Ben Howland or the 124 kids invited to his first youth basketball camp at Palisades High.

"It was great," Howland said. "The kids had a lot of fun and I think they learned a lot. That's the most important thing."

Fresh off of leading the Bruins to the national championship game, Howland and his staff instructed boys and girls ages 6-12 on the fundamentals of basketball, using a number of fun drills, demonstrations and scrimmages to teach basic skills like shooting, passing and dribbling. Howland even invited several of his players to demonstrate intricacies of the sport like screening and spacing, ball denial and defensive stance.

"I liked the dribbling drills the most," said six-year-old Charley Wadler, a student at Village School, who played on the Auburn Tigers in the SEC (ages 6-7) division. "I liked the actual games best but everything was fun," said Tennessee Volunteers point guard Scotty Polson, who turns 8 on Saturday. "I've learned to use a follow through on my shot."

Kentucky beat Tennessee by a basket in the finals of the SEC division, with Matthew Nyman of Tennessee earning the most valuable player award. Nyman also won the three-on-three competition with Luke Bennett and Santiago Cortina of Tennessee, Asher Remer of Auburn won the one-on-one competition and the Hot Shot contest, Charlie Thompson of Alabama was named SEC defensive player and Alyssa Rivera of Tennessee won the Best Attitude award.

Among the volunteers who helped Howland and his staff at last week's camp were PaliHi boys head coach James Paleno, PaliHi girls assistant coach Torino Johnson and former PaliHi players Steve McMaryion (Class of 2000) and Isaiah Sago (Class of 1999). Paleno shouldered the burden of coaching UCLA in the Pac-10 division (ages 8-9) while Scott coached the Arizona Wildcats. Johnson piloted the Pacers, Sago mentored the Suns and McMaryion guided the Spurs in the NBA division (ages 10-12).

"I guess I can keep my job," Paleno joked after UCLA came from behind to beat Arizona, 24-22, in Friday afternoon's championship game. "It would've been hard to tell Coach Howland that the Bruins lost. Fortunately, the kids came through for me."

Arizona's Spencer Freedman, Jesus Zambrano and Kerry Calender won the Pac-10 three-on-three tournament. Freedman also won the one-one-one competition and Calender earned the Best Attitude award. UCLA's PJ Hurst won the Hot Shot competition, teammate Jasper Shorr was named Pac-10 most valuable player and Jordan Wong of Cal was chosen best defensive player.

Nine-year-old Charlie Carr, who attends Palisades Elementary, was traded from UCLA to USC on Monday's opening day of camp in order to even out the teams. "I'm the first line of defense--I don't like to shoot," said Carr, whose Trojans lost to UCLA in the semifinals. "I learned how to follow through and how to sweep to get out of the way."

One of the most exciting moments of the camp came on Thursday morning when Bruins' sophomore guard Darren Collison put on a shooting clinic in the PaliHi gym while Howland implored campers to make a lot of noise and "call out the numbers" after each made basket. "A good shooter should be able to make seven out of 10," Howland said. "And it shouldn't matter how loud it is or how many people are watching because you go through the same routine every time."

Collison captivated his young audience with an impressive shooting display, making nine 17-foot jumpers in a row before rimming out his last attempt, after which he received thunderous applause.

"I enjoy doing things like this," said Collison, who was named CIF Player of the Year his senior year at Etiwanda High. "It's all about the kids and everyone's having a good time. I was once in their shoes so I know how important it is to set a good example for them because they are the future of our game."

The Suns beat the Lakers in the finals of the NBA division, with Sam Wasserman of the Suns capturing MVP honors. Kevin Eyler of the Pacers, Zach Tinker of the Spurs and Joe Rosenbaum of the Bulls won the three-on-three competition, Eyler was the one-on-one champ, JoJo Fallas of the Spurs won the Hot Shot contest, Yosef "Scrappy" Washington of the Suns was the best defensive player and the Best Attitude awards went to Cora Chan of the Lakers, Ashley Wu of the Bulls and Jared Haltrecht of the Pacers.

So did Howland see anyone he might like to play for him in the not-too-distant future? "There is definitely a lot of potential out here today," Howland said Friday, a few hours before he was scheduled to fly to Las Vegas on a recruiting trip. "We definitely plan on coming back here next year."

(Photo credit: Rich Schmitt)

[reprinted with permission]

(BruinBasketballReport.com)

Former Bruin Ariza Re-Signs With Magic

By Bruin Basketball Report

Former UCLA Bruin Trevor Ariza has re-signed with the Orlando Magic. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Ariza, a restricted free agent, played in 57 games with both the Magic and New York last season, averaging 4.6 points and 3.8 rebounds in 17.5 minutes per game.

He was traded to Orlando by the Knicks in February 2006, along with the expiring contract of Anfernee Hardaway, in exchange for Steve Francis.

“We are very pleased to bring Trevor back, as he is a key part of our young core,” General Manager Otis Smith said. “His athleticism and explosiveness will be a great asset to our team on both ends of the floor.”

“Trevor is a young player with a bright future and we are excited to have re-signed him,” added Head Coach Brian Hill. “He has the ability to be a shutdown-type defender and will add to the versatility of our team.”

Ariza was originally selected by New York in the second round (43rd overall) of the 2002 NBA draft.

(BruinBasketballReport.com)

(photo credit: AP)

What's Up Next For The Bruins

By Bruin Basketball Report

With the long-awaited verbal commitment from Lake Oswego's Kevin Love finally secured, what further recruiting action can we expect from UCLA in this offseason?

Will Kyle Singler follow his friend Love to Westwood and commit to UCLA?

Barring an unexpected player transfer this season, UCLA has allocated all their available scholarships (13 total) to current and incoming players.

At this point, the only way UCLA could offer another player in the 2007 recruiting class is if they went over the scholarship limit with the knowledge a current Bruin player was leaving early for the NBA next year.

It's been suggested junior Arron Afflalo, or even sophomore Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, might declare early for the NBA next season, but as we've learned from Afflalo's own journey this last summer, there is no certainty in the NBA evaluation process.

With this in mind, it would not be a complete surprise if both Afflalo and Mbah a Moute were playing alongside Love and challenging for the NCAA championship in 2007-08.

Consequently, it would seem improbable an elite player such as Singler would put himself in an ambiguous scholarship situation when he is being heavily recruited by other elite programs such as Duke, Kansas, and Washington who have scholarships to offer.

As big a coup as it would be for the UCLA program to get Singler, UCLA already appears set at the forward wing position.

With returning players Josh Shipp and Michael Roll, incoming freshman James Keefe vying for playing time at the forward wing, as well as verbal commitments from Nikola Dragovic (2006) and Chace Stanback (2007), the Bruins have excellent options at the position for the next few years.

More likely UCLA Bruin head coach Ben Howland and his staff are focusing on the talent laiden 2008 recruiting class.

With at least two scholarships available in 2008, and perhaps more if other Bruin players opt early for the NBA (i.e. Kevin Love), the Bruins will have an opportunity to add numerous elite players.

From the 2008 class, the Bruins are heavily recruiting point-guard candidates Jerime Anderson, Larry Drew Jr., and Malcolm Lee - all three players recently attended the UCLA advanced skills camp at Pauley.

Additionally, the Bruins are very interested in big men from this class including power forwards Luke Babbit from Galena and Drew Gordon from Mitty.

However, the biggest catch in the 2008 class may be Jrue Holiday, a 6'3 combo guard from Campbell Hall. The Bruins reportedly have already offered Holiday.

Current scholarship breakdown:

2007 Class: 2
Kevin Love and Chace Stanback

Freshmen: 3
James Keefe, Russell Westbrook, and Nikola Dragovic

Sophomores: 6
Josh Shipp (redshirt), Darren Collison, Michael Roll, Ryan Wright, Alfred Aboya, and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute

Juniors: 2
Lorenzo Mata and Arron Afflalo

Seniors: None

Other Bruin Notes: The UCLA athletic department recently announced both walk-ons Nican Robinson and Kelvin Kim will not return to the team next season. Reportedly, Robinson wants to attend school closer to home and will transfer to a northern California school, while Kim is interested in attending another southern California school where he can play more minutes.

(BruinBasketballReport.com)

It's A Love Story For Bruins

By Brian Dohn L.A. Daily News

Prospect, seen by many as No. 2 in nation, commits to UCLA

UCLA coach Ben Howland finally landed the type of impact big man that has eluded him since his arrival in Westwood.

During a Tuesday press conference in Las Vegas, 6-foot-9 Kevin Love - the top low-post player in the Class of 2007 and widely regarded as the second-best high school senior-to-be in the nation - gave a non-binding oral commitment to UCLA.

The Lake Oswego (Ore.) High product, who is the son of former Laker Stan Love and nephew of Mike Love, a founding member of the Beach Boys, chose the Bruins over North Carolina.

"There were a lot of changes for a while in my mind, and then UCLA just skyrocketed in my mind," Love said. "I just had a right feeling. One day (earlier this month), I just woke up and it felt right. I then woke up day after day, and it still felt right. I like coach Howland's style of slow down the ball, get the big men the ball."

Love's decision is not surprising. UCLA was long reported as the favorite to land him. His commitment will not become official until he signs a binding letter of intent in November, but his announcement essentially ends a courting process that began when he was in eighth grade.

It also marks the first time since becoming UCLA's coach that Howland, who is 61-35 in three years in Westwood, was able to land a prized, ready- to-play big man. Love's first game for UCLA will not be until November 2007, but he brings a polished interior game built on scoring and rebounding.

"It's the best get for UCLA since Baron Davis (in 1997)," said Greg Hicks, a recruiting analyst for scout.com. "Baron was the best point guard in the country. Kevin is the best center in the country. Kevin Love could have played for UCLA when he was a freshman in high school. He was that advanced."

Love should add a consistent scoring presence in the interior.

"We have so many guards (at UCLA), and I'm hoping Arron Afflalo stays around & for his senior season, and I can kick the ball out to him for open 3s," Love said. "I don't think with Luc (Richard Mbah a Moute) and me, that anyone is going to outrebound us."

Love averaged 29 points and 17 rebounds per game in leading Lake Oswego to the state title. He also scored more points (813) than any junior in Oregon history, but there are questions about how much growth remains for his game. And, ultimately, the answers could determine how long Love remains at UCLA.

In recruiting circles, there is talk Love could be at UCLA for only one season before jumping to the NBA.

"I think there is a question of how high his ceiling is," Hicks said. "He's not a great athlete. But he has an exceptional feel for the game, great skills. The question mark for the NBA is athleticism."

(reprinted with permission)

(BruinBasketballReport.com)

(photo credit: Brian Ely/The Oregonian)

Kevin Love: It's UCLA

By Joe Freeman The Oregonian

Kevin Love is headed to Hollywood.

The 6-foot-10 forward/center from Lake Oswego, who has generated as much recruiting interest as any prep basketball player in Oregon history, announced Tuesday at a news conference at Foothill High School that he will attend UCLA.

In selecting the Bruins, Love spurned the University of North Carolina and all but ended a feverish recruiting process that has spanned years.

“UCLA just feels right,” Love said. “It’s hard to explain, but I just know, 100 percent, UCLA is the place I want to be. When it came down to it, the things that really matter to me — having my family close, having a great tradition and stuff like that — are all there. I had to pick UCLA.”

Love’s decision will not become official until November, during the NCAA early-signing period, but he said he has no intention of changing his mind. When he signs, the Bruins will land a first-team Parade magazine all-American, a two-time reigning Oregon Class 4A player of the year and a consensus top-five player among the Class of 2007.

Many recruiting experts believe Love — who averaged 29.0 points and nearly 17 rebounds for Lake Oswego as a junior last season, when he led the Lakers to their first state title — is the No. 1 prospect in his class.

Love was in Nevada Tuesday participating in the Reebok Big Time, an Amateur Athletic Union tournament featuring more than 300 teams. His team, the Southern California All-Stars, played a game earlier today and UCLA coach Ben Howland watched from the fifth row.

Coaches cannot discuss recruits before they sign letter of intents, so Howland could not comment on Love’s decision. But for some time, Love has been Howland’s No. 1 target for 2007. Howland started his recruitment of Love when Love was in the eighth grade and took an unofficial visit to the Los Angeles.

Love, who is widely praised for his rebounding, passing ability and strong post play, will attend a school that has a strong history of big men — a fact that was not lost on Love.

“UCLA has featured the two best big men in college basketball history and that tradition is a really big deal to me,” Love said. “If I can fit into that system and be a part of that tradition and be a part of the past legacy, then that’s going to be huge.

“If people are going to mention me in the same breath as Lew Alcindor and Bill Walton, that’s awesome and it’s a blessing. But if I can do half of what those guys did, then I’ll be set. I know the expectations are going to be high, but I’m looking to go in there and play as well as I can and as hard as I can and have some fun.”

Source: The Oregonian
Photo credit: Bruce Ely

(BruinBasketballReport.com)

Kevin Love Commits To UCLA

(BruinBasketballReport.com)

(photo credit: SI)

Marko Spica Not To Attend UCLA

By Bruin Basketball Report

UCLA officially announced Marko Spica, a 6-9, 225-pound post player from Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro, will not be enrolling at the university.

Spica's National Letter-of-Intent, executed during the early signing period last November, will be voided by UCLA because he did not meet University admission requirements.

The Bruins are expected to announce Nikola Dragovic, another player from Serbia-Montenegro, will join the team next season.

(BruinBasketballReport.com)