Pac-12 Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)

2. Lonzo Ball

A 6’6 point guard from Chino Hills, California, Ball was a massively-touted recruit, considered one of the very best in the nation in 2016. He and his brothers were recruited to UCLA by Steve Alford, though Lonzo was the only one who reached stardom at the college level. Ball only needed to spend his freshman season with the Bruins because it really showcased his talent and potential.

On the year, Ball averaged 14.6 points, 7.6 assists, and 6.0 rebounds per game, really filling the stat sheets for the Bruins. He’d also shoot 41% from outside the arc and had a ton of success all over the court. He’d have a career-high 24 points against Arizona and would put up 14 assists in a game against Washington State a few weeks later. Most importantly, Ball helped take the Bruins to the Sweet Sixteen, scoring 18 points in an NCAA Tournament win over Cincinnati.

Spouting off numbers doesn’t really tell the whole story of Ball’s success, but he had an incredible freshman season. He was a First Team All-American, Pac-12 Rookie of the Year, and was a finalist for the Wooden Award. He was the national leader in assists with 274 on the season and was the most efficient shooter in the Pac-12. Ball when then drafted 2nd overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2017 NBA Draft.