Eleven Former UCLA Players Set to Open NBA Season

The UCLA men's basketball program has 11 former players who are expected to open the NBA season on rosters across the league this week.
 
The NBA will tip-off its 2020-21 campaign this week, with games starting on Tuesday, Dec. 22. Kevon Looney and the Golden State Warriors will take on the Brooklyn Nets (4 p.m., PT) in the first of two games this Tuesday. In the nightcap, the Los Angeles Clippers will take on the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center (7 p.m., PT).
 
Looney enters his sixth season in the NBA, all with Golden State. He starred as a freshman with the Bruins in 2014-15 and was a first-round pick by Golden State in June 2015.
 
Trevor Ariza, who played as a freshman for UCLA in 2003-04, will enter his 17th season in the NBA. Ariza now plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He split portions of last season with the Sacramento Kings and the Portland Trail Blazers. In all, Ariza will now be suiting up for his 11th NBA team.
 
Kevin Love and Russell Westbrook are set to begin their 13th seasons in the NBA. The duo of former college teammates, back in 2007-08, have each played in over 700 career NBA contests. Love will begin his seventh season with the Cleveland Cavs. Westbrook spent last season with the Houston Rockets and will be playing debuting this week with the Washington Wizards.
 
Jrue Holiday will begin his 12th NBA season in 2020-21, marking his first year with the Milwaukee Bucks. Holiday, a freshman with the Bruins in 2008-09, was a first-round pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2009. He spent the past seven seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans and was acquired via trade by Milwaukee in the offseason.
 
Kyle Anderson (Memphis Grizzlies) and Zach LaVine (Chicago Bulls) will each enter their seventh NBA season. Anderson was a two-year star for UCLA in 2012-13 and 2013-14. He teamed with Zach LaVine in 2013-14, when LaVine was a freshman guard for the Bruins.
 
Norman Powell will enter his sixth NBA season, all having been with the Toronto Raptors. Powell helped Toronto win the 2019 NBA Championship and has been a consistent contributor the past six seasons for that organization. He was a second-round NBA Draft selection in 2015 by the Milwaukee Bucks (immediately traded to Toronto).
 
Lonzo Ball is set to begin his fourth NBA season, his second year with the New Orleans Pelicans. Ball was the No. 2 overall selection in the 2017 NBA Draft after his freshman season at UCLA.
 
Aaron Holiday will enter his third NBA season with the Indiana Pacers. A former first-team All-Pac-12 selection as a junior at UCLA (2017-18), Holiday was selected in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft by the Pacers.
 
Moses Brown has secured a two-way contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder after spending the 2019-20 season in a similar role with the Portland Trail Blazers. Brown was a freshman with UCLA in 2018-19.