No program has a prouder basketball tradition than UCLA. The Bruins’ 11 national championships are the most in NCAA history. They’ve produced some all-time great players, from Hall of Famers like Lew Alcindor and Bill Walton to contemporary superstars like Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love.
How Lonzo Ball turned UCLA into the most exciting offense in the country
This new video shows how the Bruins’ freshman point guard remade UCLA in one year.
Ricky O'Donnell has covered basketball at all levels for more than a decade at SB Nation. He’s currently the Associate Director of Programming.
But lately, UCLA has started to get a little stale.
Last season was one of the most disappointing the Bruins have ever had. They finished 15-17, missed the NCAA tournament, and the fanbase grew visibly upset. They even flew a banner over campus asking for head coach Steve Alford to be fired.
This year, everything is different. UCLA is 31-4 and one of the most exciting teams in the country. The Bruins play fast, score at will, and rarely lose.
What’s changed? It all comes back to freshman point guard Lonzo Ball.
Ball has completely transformed the Bruins in just one year. Ball is big, he’s athletic, and he can hit shots all over the court. Yes, even with that bizarre shooting motion.
For all of his talent, Ball’s best weapon in his mind.
The freshman is a basketball savant. He’s leading the NCAA in assists per game and he has one of the highest true shooting percentages in the country. Every play Ball makes is a smart basketball play.
Ball’s presence has had a tangible impact. UCLA was No. 51 in the country in offensive efficiency last year. Now No. 3. Last season UCLA ranked No. 73 in tempo. This year they’re No. 14. He has the team playing faster, smarter, and more efficient.
Ball has helped the rest of the Bruins find their comfort zone. Last season, Bryce Alford was miscast as a point guard. With Ball, he’s been able to slide into his natural position of shooting guard, where he’s made more three-pointers than any power-conference player. With Ball and Alford surrounded by Aaron Holiday, Isaac Hamilton, and T.J. Leaf, the Bruins often have five shooters on the floor at the same time.
That’s the other big change from last season. A year ago, the Bruins started two traditional big men. Replace Jonah Bolden with fellow five-star freshman T.J. Leaf, and suddenly the entire offense has opened up. While Bolden shot 25 percent on 36 attempts, Leaf as shot 45 percent on 53 attempts.
The man at the controls? That’s Lonzo Ball. After leading Chino Hills High School to an undefeated state-championship season last year playing a ridiculously uptempo, three-point-heavy style alongside his two younger brothers, Ball has injected UCLA with the spirit of Chino Hills.
It’s been a while since UCLA was appointment viewing, but Lonzo Ball has made it happen this year. You better appreciate him at the college level while you still can. Next season, he’ll be in the NBA as one of the top five picks in June’s draft.
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