UCLA Basketball’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 there fourth consecutive final four appearances under head coach Ben Howland. While it appears North Carolina’s senior, led team is the early season favorites with Tyler Hansbrough anchoring the boards, but do not count out the young Bruins. UCLA has the youngest team in years and that may mean some 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 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 in a 78-63 defeat to Memphis and 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, ... (link)