UCLA's announcements | What's Bruin

UCLA issued two news releases tonight, one after Russell Westbrook (4th overall to Seattle) and Kevin Love (5th overall to Memphis) were drafted and another after Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (7th pick in the 2nd round to Milwaukee) was drafted. You can read both after the jump.

Release #1

UCLA's Westbrook, Love Selected Fourth, Fifth in NBA Draft

They become the first Bruin duo to be selected in the top five in the NBA Draft since 1969.

June 26, 2008

NEW YORK — UCLA's Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love were both selected as lottery picks in the 2008 NBA Draft tonight in New York at Madison Square Garden. The pair became the first Bruin duo to be drafted as lottery picks in the same year in UCLA history since lottery picks began in 1985. They also became just the sixth teammates in NBA Draft history to be drafted back-to-back and became the first Bruin duo to be drafted in the top five since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then Lew Alcindor) and Lucius Allen were the No. 1 (Milwaukee Bucks) and No. 3 (Seattle Sonics) overall picks, respectively, in 1969.

Westbrook was the fourth overall pick by the Seattle Sonics, while Love was the fifth pick by the Memphis Grizzlies. The tandem was also the first Bruin pair to be chosen in the first round since Ed O'Bannon (9th pick by the New Jersey Nets) and George Zidek (22nd pick by the Charlotte Bobcats) were selected in the 1995 NBA Draft.

Westbrook and Love became the 102nd and 103rd UCLA players to be selected in NBA draft history (UCLA is the all-time collegiate leader in NBA Draft selections, since 1948). UCLA has had at least one player taken in the NBA Draft for the last 12 years (since the 1997 draft). Additionally, Westbrook became the first Bruin selected as a lottery pick since Jerome Moiso was the 11th pick by the Boston Celtics in 2000.

Westbrook, a 6-3, 189-pound guard, was the 2008 Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year while averaging 12.7 points per game (17th in Pac-10). The third team All-Pac-10 performer as a sophomore in 2008 also led UCLA in assists at 4.3 apg (4th in Pac-10) and in steals at 1.6 spg (5th in Pac-10).

Love, a 6-10, 253-pound center, was a first team All-American while leading the Bruins in scoring at 17.5 points per game (7th in Pac-10 and 86th nationally) as a true freshman. The 2008 Pac-10 Freshman and Player of the Year also led UCLA in rebounding, setting a Bruin freshman record at 10.6 rebounds per game (2nd in Pac-10 and 11th nationally).

Westbrook and Love are the 29th and 30th first-round NBA Draft picks, respectively, in UCLA history and the third and fourth for Bruin Head Coach Ben Howland in the last three years.

In last year's NBA Draft, Arron Afflalo was the 27th pick by the Detroit Pistons. In the 2006 NBA Draft, Jordan Farmar was a first round selection (26th pick) by the Los Angeles Lakers, and Ryan Hollins was selected in the second round by the Charlotte Bobcats (50th selection).

Additionally, Westbrook and Love are the sixth and seventh Bruins, respectively, to be drafted in the Howland era, joining Afflalo last year, Farmar and Hollins in 2006, Dijon Thompson in 2005 (54th pick by New York Knicks) and Trevor Ariza in 2004 (43rd pick by New York Knicks).

Release #2

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute Chosen as 37th Pick by Milwaukee Bucks

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who became the first Bruin to start in three straight Final Fours since Bill Walton, Jamaal Wilkes and Greg Lee in 1972-74, was selected in the second round of the 2008 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks (37th pick) on Thursday evening at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Mbah a Moute became the third Bruin selected in the 2008 NBA Draft, which is the first time three Bruins have been drafted in the same season since 1998. In that year, all three Bruins were drafted in the second round. Jelani McCoy was the 33rd pick (Seattle Sonics), Toby Bailey was the 45th pick (L.A. Lakers) and J.R. Henderson was the 56th pick (Vancouver Grizzlies) in the 1998 NBA Draft. Russell Westbrook was the No. 4 overall pick in 2008 by the Seattle Sonics while Kevin Love was the fifth overall pick by the Memphis Grizzlies.

Mbah a Moute became the 104th UCLA player to be selected in Bruin draft history (UCLA is the all-time collegiate leader in NBA Draft selections, since 1948). UCLA has had at least one player taken in the NBA Draft for the last 12 years (since the 1997 draft).

Mbah a Moute, a 6-8, 232-pound forward, was an honorable mention All-Pac-10 selection in 2007-08 while averaging 8.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game (2nd on the team and 12th in the Pac-10). The 2006 Pac-10 Freshman of the Year finished his UCLA career ranked 15th in total rebounds with 775.

Additionally, Mbah a Moute is the eighth Bruin to be drafted in the Howland era, joining Westbrook and Love this year; Arron Afflalo last year (27th pick by the Detroit Pistons); Jordan Farmar (26th pick by L.A. Lakers) and Ryan Hollins (50th pick by the Charlotte Bobcats) in 2006; Dijon Thompson in 2005 (54th pick by New York Knicks) and Trevor Ariza in 2004 (43rd pick by New York Knicks).