UCLA Basketball Top 20 Players of All Time: No. 9

This Bruin was a part of one of the best college basketball seasons of all time.

Nov 6, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Detailed view of the the UCLA Bruins logo at center court at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

We’re inching closer to the top spot on our countdown of the top 20 UCLA Bruins of all time.

Today’s Bruin, coming in at No. 9, has one of the greatest peaks of any player on the list and was an integral part of one of the greatest teams in program history.  

UCLA Basketball Top 20 Players of All Time: No. 9 Ed O’Bannon

April 3, 1995; Seattle, WA: MVP Ed O'Bannon tells the crowd that Tyus Edney (to his left) is the real MVP of the game, although O'Bannon was named MVP. He is videotaping himself making the speech. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro/USA TODAY-USA TODAY NETWORK | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

O’Bannon arrived at Westwood as a highly touted recruit, but didn’t make as instant an impact as other players on this list. In his freshman season in 1991-92, O’Bannon averaged 3.6 points in 23 games overall with zero starts.

It wasn’t until the 1992-93 season that O’Bannon would come onto the scene. In his sophomore season, he averaged 16.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game en route to earning First Team All-Pac-12 honors.

April 3, 1995; Seattle, WA: UCLA players Tyus Edney (left), Cameron Dollar (center) and Ed O'Bannon celebrate their win over Arkansas April 2 in the final game of the NCAA playoffs in Seattle, WA. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch/USA TODAY-USA TODAY NETWORK | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

As a junior, he continued to improve, raising his output to 18.2 points per game and leading the Pac-10 Conference with 8.8 rebounds per game.

However, O’Bannon may not have made this list if his time at UCLA had ended there. His senior season was when he planted his legacy. The Bruins entered the 1994-95 season with title aspirations, and O’Bannon quickly established himself as the leader who was going to achieve those goals.

Mar 8, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Members of the UCLA Bruins 1995 NCAA championship team including Charles O'Bannon, Ed O'Bannon and coach Jim Harrick pose at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He averaged 20.4 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, earning the Wooden Award as the nation’s best player. He was also named a consensus All-American, the Pac-10 Player of the Year, and the USBWA Player of the Year.

Major Impact in 1995

O’Bannon led UCLA all the way to a National Championship behind a terrific season and capped it off with a victory against Arkansas, ending the year 31-2. O’Bannon was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 1994-95 tournament, as well as earning a spot on the All-Region and All-Tournament teams.

Unknown location, 1994; USA; FILE PHOTO; UCLA Bruins forward Ed O'Bannon (31) on the court during the 1994 season. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The NCAA Tournament is oftentimes where legacies are cemented, and O’Bannon delivered when the stakes were higher than ever. He was a superstar on one of the best college teams of all-time, and his legacy continues to live on as UCLA’s most recent National Championship winner.

O’Bannon’s college career showed improvement every single season, and he finished as one of the top UCLA Bruins of all-time. His individual success and dominance in college basketball make him well worth a spot among the top-10 Bruins to ever come through the program. O'Bannon's legacy will be remembered for years going forward.