Big West Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade ('13-23)

Big West Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)

By Joey Loose | Jul 15, 2023

Mar 14, 2019; Anaheim, CA, USA;Cal State Northridge Matadors forward Lamine Diane (35) lets out a yell after scoring past UC Santa Barbara Gauchos forward Amadou Sow (12) and guard Ar'Mond Davis (1) during the first half of the quarterfinals of the Big West conference tournament at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports /

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Big West Basketball UC Irvine Anteaters guard Luke Nelson Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Luke Nelson

A 6’3 point guard from the United Kingdom, Nelson played a major role in UC Irvine’s success in the early parts of this last decade. He arrived on campus in 2013 and immediately became a major backcourt threat in the Big West, serving in that role for four seasons and helping the Anteaters to a boatload of wins.

Nelson averaged 11.8 points and shot 38% from outside the arc as a freshman. As a sophomore, he helped lead UC Irvine to the NCAA Tournament, scoring 17 points in the title game of the Big West Tournament. The following season, he’d have a 36-point effort against Cal Poly in the conference tournament and would help the Anteaters to a deep CIT run. He’d average 16.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game in his final seasons, getting the program to the NIT despite missing the first month with injury issues.

Big West Rookie of the Year as a freshman, he capped his career off with Player of the Year honors as a senior, sandwiching that around a trip to the Big Dance and a lot of impactful and victorious efforts. Nelson grew into a role as one of the Big West’s top scorers and ball distributors while helping the Anteaters to multiple 20-win seasons.