UCLA Basketball Top 20 Players of All Time: No. 14

This Bruin was an integral part of a dominant run in UCLA history.

Dec 20, 2011; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General view of the center circle with the UCLA Bruins logo at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For an all-time ranking, this Bruin’s placement rests primarily on his individual accolades and the major team success he brought to UCLA in the late sixties under legendary John Wooden. 

Continuing with the countdown of the 20 best Bruins in UCLA’s historic basketball program, we’ve arrived at No. 14 on our list.

UCLA Basketball Top 20 Players of All Time: No. 14 Henry Bibby

Jan 23, 1971; South Bend, IN, USA; FILE PHOTO; UCLA Bruins point guard Henry Bibby (45) in action against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at the Joyce Center during the 1970-71 season. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Bibby’s career in Westwood was not as recent as others on the list, but his team success easily makes him a deserving candidate for it. Bibby’s impact on UCLA was immediate, as he led the Bruins to three straight National Championships.

Bibby spent three seasons as a starting guard under John Wooden and has no sense of what it’s like not to win in college basketball. From 1970-1972, Bibby helped UCLA win three consecutive National Championships. During those three seasons, the Bruins would lose a combined three games, further highlighting their dominance in this era.

Feb 1972; unknown location, USA; FILE PHOTO; UCLA Bruins point guard Henry Bibby (45) in action during the 1971-72 season. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Throughout his UCLA career, Bibby averaged 14.4 points and 3.5 rebounds, shooting 44.3% from the field. His best season came in 1971-72, when he averaged 15.7 points and led UCLA to a perfect 30-0 season. He was rewarded by being named a consensus First-Team All-American. 

The Dominance of UCLA Basketball

The best part of Bibby’s argument for the No. 14 spot doesn't necessarily focus on his personal statistics, but rather on one team statistic in particular: winning.

John Wooden, center, coach of the UCLA national champions, compares notes with his fellow basketball lecturers at Tennessee State's Blue Ribbon Clinic on July 23,1964. They are Harold Hunter, left, Tennessee State coach, and Cornelius Ridley of Pearl High School. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Bibby, a member of three National Championship teams, puts him on a very small list of players who have accomplished that feat. His importance in the John Wooden era simply cannot be understated, as he was a major part of the Bruins' dominance. 

However, playing in an era as Bibby did, he was bound to get a bit overshadowed. He wasn’t the primary scorer on those championship teams, as that duty belonged to Sidney Wicks and Bill Walton. 

Feb 1972; unknown location, USA; FILE PHOTO; UCLA Bruins point guard Henry Bibby (45) in action during the 1971-72 season. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

However, Bibby was an elite point guard who played at the highest level during the most dominant period in college basketball history.

Bibby wasn’t necessarily the biggest star of that dynasty, but he was a very crucial piece. Three National Championships, 87 wins across three seasons, and an All-American award give him the right to claim that he is one of the best players the Bruins have ever had in their history. 

His spot on the top 20 is easily deserved, as he will be remembered forever as a UCLA great.