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

21. Jaylen Brown

California has been a disappointment in basketball in recent years, but they had quite the lineup back in 2016. Brown was a major part of that, as he was the #3 recruit in the nation and chose Cuonzo Martin’s program. A 6’7 small forward from Marietta, Georgia, he’d have a successful lone season with the GOlen Bears before establishing himself in the NBA.

Paired nicely was another player on today’s list, Brown helped lead the Golden Bears to their most successful season of the decade. Brown averaged 14.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, taking California to 23 wins, 4th place in the Pac-12, and what remains their most recent trip to the NCAA Tournament. He had a couple of 27-point performances and a few double-doubles, though he saw his collegiate career end at Hawaii’s hand in a Tournament upset.

Brown was named Pac-12 Rookie of the Year and also earned First Team All-Pac-12 for an excellent campaign. He was an impactful scorer and also had decent metrics on the defensive side of the ball. Brown showed plenty of potential during that season for the Golden Bears and set himself up well for the future. He was taken with the 3rd pick of the 2016 NBA Draft and remains a massive star for the Boston Celtics.