Men's basketball freshmen end recruitment journey in Westwood

UCLA’s highly celebrated freshman class is set to make its debut today.

Sort of.

The No. 1 rated recruiting class in the country, according to ESPN, could be without its crown jewel, guard/forward Shabazz Muhammad, when the Bruins open the season today in newly renovated Pauley Pavilion.

Muhammad, rated the No. 2 recruit in the country by ESPN, has yet to be cleared by the NCAA and has also been recovering from a shoulder injury sustained during practice.

However, UCLA coach Ben Howland’s talented freshman class also includes forwards Kyle Anderson and Tony Parker, along with guard Jordan Adams. Anderson was rated the No. 5 recruit in the country according to ESPN while Atlanta natives, Parker and Adams, checked in at No. 26 and No. 41, respectively.

Despite missing the NCAA tournament last season, Howland was able to secure the top recruiting class in the country thanks in large part to a great recruiting effort from him and his assistant coaches.

The class wasn’t fully complete until Muhammad’s and Parker’s commitments in April, which vaulted the already good Bruin recruiting class to the top of the country.

Anderson will begin the year as a starter at small forward, though he played point guard in high school. His ball-handling skills make him a nice option to run offense through at times.

Adams is a spot-up shooter with great range, and he will likely begin the year on the bench but see plenty of time on the floor. Parker will also start the year on the bench, but will also be a major contributor in his first year at either forward or center.

Muhammad, the 2012 Naismith Boy’s High School Player of the Year, will be counted upon to score as well as make an impact with his lengthy frame on the defensive end. He averaged 29.4 points per game as a senior at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas.

Although the recruits do share many ties from their time in high school, they each had a different reason and timeline for coming to UCLA.

Here is how it all happened.

Timeline

• 2010
  • April 26
    Phil Mathews is hired as an assistant coach. Mathews was key in recruiting. Shabazz Muhammad.
• 2011
  • June 3
    Pangos tournament with Muhammad and Jordan Adams in Los Angeles.
  • June 3
    Nike Elite Youth Basketball League tournament with Kyle Anderson and Tony Parker in Los Angeles.
  • June 7
    Longtime AAU coach Korey McCray is hired as an assistant coach. He coached both Adams and Parker with the AAU Atlanta Celtics.
  • June 20
    Adams commits.
  • July 7
    Adidas Invitational with Muhammad and Adams in Indianapolis.
  • Aug. 10-17
    Unofficial visit with Muhammad, Anderson and Adams.
  • Sept. 19
    Anderson commits.

• 2012
  • Feb. 29
    CBS Sports report on Muhammad’s eligibility comes out.
  • March 28
    McDonald’s All-American Game: Muhammad wins dunk contest and is named MVP.
  • April 7
    Nike Hoop Summit: Muhammad breaks scoring record.
  • April 12
    Muhammad commits.
  • April 14
    Anderson, Muhammad and Parker all play in Jordan Brand game.
  • April 24
    Parker commits.
  • Sept. 3
    Athletic Director Dan Guerrero says two basketball freshmen haven’t been declared eligible yet.
  • Oct. 24
    Muhammad sprains right shoulder.
  • Oct. 31
    Anderson cleared.