UCLA Basketball: Numerous Ex-Bruins Recognized As Greatest Players From Los Angeles

As well they should be.

Across the decades, your UCLA Bruins have always done a great job of finding some of the best talent in their own backyard. LA-based players have been big contributors to the team's NCAA-record 10 men's hoops titles.

In a slideshow list compiling the top 25 high school players from the Los Angeles area, Yardbarker's Jeff Mezydlo identifies several eventual UCLA Bruins.

San Pedro High School-turned-UCLA small forward Willie Naulls, a California Mr. Basketball honoree in school, was a two-time All-PCC pick and a consensus All-American selection. He later became a four-time All-Star on the New York Knicks and then-San Francisco Warriors and a three-time NBA champ on the Bill Russell-era Boston Celtics. Naturally, he's an early inclusion on Mezydlo's rankings.

John Francis Polytechnic High School product Gail Goodrich was also a California Mr. Basketball while playing his southpaw wares in the San Fernando Valley. Goodrich was the star of John Wooden's 1964 and 1965 title-winning Bruins teams. The 6'1" shooting guard later won one championship with the Los Angeles Lakers and was named to five All-Star clubs.

Other local LA prep school-to-UCLA pipeline names include Jefferson High School wing Edgar Lacy (who won it all with Goodrich and co. in '65), Crenshaw High School alum Marques Johnson (who won a title with UCLA in 1975), Artesia High School alum Ed O'Bannon (who won an NCAA title in 1995), former Charlotte Hornets point guard Baron Davis, one-and-done UCLA alum Trevor Ariza, UCLA-to-Lakers reserve Jordan Farmar, and of course Milwaukee Bucks point guard Darren Collison.