UCLA Bruins: The Forgotten 5-Star Recruit Kevon Looney

The UCLA Bruins knew they were getting an incredible talent in Kevon Looney. The rest of the nation agreed, giving him a 5-star rating across the board. The versatile forward could do everything well on the court and had a motor that never stopped. Then he disappeared off the national radar once the season started.

Much like Wedge Antilles in the Rebel Fleet, Looney is doing extraordinary work and getting none of the credit. With freshman studs like Karl-Anthony Towns, Jahlil Okafor, and Tyus Jones dominating the headlines, it is not surprising that Looney would be back page news.

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However, while the nation drools over the freshmen at Duke and Kentucky, Looney continues to quietly work in the boondocks known as Westwood, California putting together one of the finest seasons in the nation as a freshman for the UCLA Bruins.

Looney is producing in every category and no one is talking about him. His per 40-minute line is comparable to the most hyped freshmen so far this year, scoring 17.9 points, grabbing 14.8 rebounds, and dishing 2.5 assists. On the defensive end, he averages 1.2 steals and 2.3 blocks per 40 minutes, contributing 0.5 defensive win shares. He does all of this nearly mistake free, turning the ball over a respectable 1.3 times per game despite using 20.4% of the teams possessions.

Experts look at the 7-foot Okafor and think that he is the best rebounder in the freshmen class. The numbers tell a different story. Looney leads the nation in total offensive rebounds and is third in the nation with 90 total rebounds; a full 29 rebounds ahead of Okafor.

Looney may not have the scoring touch that Okafor and the other freshman have, but he contributes more than they do on the offensive end. According to Sports-Reference.com, Looney produces an estimated 126.2 points per 100 possessions. For all his back-to-the-basket mastery, Okafor produces at a lesser clip, 124.5 points per 100 possessions.

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A lot of detractors will point to the soft schedule that UCLA has had so far as the reason for Looney’s production. All they have to do is look at the games the Bruins played in the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament.

When the UCLA Bruins matched up against the Oklahoma Sooners, Looney came to play. Looney scored 16 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, and blocked 3 shots. The next game against the North Carolina Tar Heels who were ranked 5^th in the nation at the time, he fought foul trouble and still contributed 11 points, 6 rebounds, and 50 percent shooting in 23 minutes. Even against power conference teams, Looney could produce at an elite level.

Buried under the dominance of Okafor, the saavy of Tyus Jones, and the potential of Karl-Anthony Towns, Kevon Looney remains a hidden gem that has yet to be discovered by the rest of the country. Those brave enough to endure the 10:30 Eastern Standard Time tip-offs on the right coast will be happy to see a player who uses every inch of his 7’3 wingspan to outwork and out-hustle players for loose balls and baskets. Or they can be kept in the dark and miss out on watching one of the best players in all of college basketball.

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