Ben Howland continues to show that the UCLA’s men’s basketball program has not only been revived, but it’s here to stay.
On Wednesday, Howland announced the signing of a class of four highly touted athletes, including guards Jrue Holiday, Jerime Anderson and Malcolm Lee and forward Drew Gordon.
“All four of our letters are back; all the expected signees are official now,” Howland said. “Needless to say, I’m a happy guy,”
That feeling is one shared by several recruiting services, including CSTV.com, Scout.com, and Hoopmasters.com, who all ranked the Bruins’ most recent recruiting class as the best in the nation.
Though the addition of the four high school seniors would put the Bruins at a total of 14 scholarship players on next season’s squad, junior Darren Collison and freshman Kevin Love will likely declare for the NBA Draft at the end of the current season, allowing the Bruins to stay within the 13 scholarships it is granted.
Holiday, one of the biggest recruits in the nation and the top recruit on the West Coast, according to the Best in the West poll conducted by 62 coaches, is not only talented, but also very athletic, a combination that has Howland anticipating his arrival.
“He’s as athletic as anyone we’ve recruited since I’ve been at UCLA and as good an athlete as anyone in the country,” Howland said.
“What really sets him apart is that he’s unbelievably competitive. He has great competitive drive.”
The 6-foot-3-inch guard from nearby Campbell Hall High School had the opportunity to go to virtually any school in the nation and made an unofficial visit to North Carolina last year and also considered Washington, where his brother plays. The only downside to his signing is mere nomenclature.
Between Jrue and Drew, it became confusing as to whom Howland was referring to during a visit earlier this year.
“Drew Gordon was like, “˜Coach we’re going to have to figure this out,'” Howland joked. “We will have to figure out. It’ll be D.G. and I don’t know how we’ll do it.”
The other guards, Anderson, from Canyon High School, and Lee, from J.W. North High School, both have great potential. Anderson’s defense has impressed Howland and Lee’s shooting has left the same mark on their future coach.
“I’ve already threatened him that I’m going to pull him out if he doesn’t shoot more once he comes to UCLA,” Howland said of Lee.
Alongside three very talented guards, Gordon rounds out the class, and will be expected to fill the gap that will be created with the graduation of senior Lorenzo Mata-Real and the possible departure of Love for the NBA.
Gordon’s athletic prowess, rebounding skills and ability to create space for himself have Howland thinking that he has yet to reach his full potential.
“He can be one of the best rebounders that we’ve recruited since I’ve been here,” the UCLA coach said. “He has a huge upside, huge potential; his best years are ahead of him.”
And for Howland, there’s no hiding the excitement and anticipation that now awaits him.
“You’ve got a happy coach today in Westwood because we feel like we have a great recruiting class.”