WHERE ARE THEY NOW? The 2008 UCLA Bruins, one of the most stacked teams in college basketball history
Russell Westbrook was a force for the Bruins on both sides of the ball after winning the starting role in his sophomore year. He took home Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year in 2008.
He was selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Seattle SuperSonics, who would relocate to Oklahoma City just six days later. Westbrook would remain in Oklahoma City after the departures of superstars James Harden and Kevin Durant, and win NBA MVP in 2017 after recording 42 triple-doubles on the season.
Kevin Love was a beast for the Bruins during their 2008 run. A freshman playing his only college season at UCLA, Love lead the team in both scoring and rebounding, and went on to win Pac-10 Player of the Year.
Love was drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies with the fifth overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft — just one spot after Westbrook — but traded to the Timberwolves before the start of the season. After six seasons in Minnesota, Love joined the Cavaliers, where he would win his first title with LeBron James in 2016.
Luc Mbah a Moute played three years for the Bruins, becoming the first player to start in three consecutive Final Fours in 34 years. A native of Cameroon, his parents had never seen him play for UCLA until their 2008 Final Four game against Memphis.
Moute would fall to the second round of the draft, starting his career with the Milwaukee Bucks. After a few short stints with different teams around the league, he's now sitting atop the Western Conference as a member of the Houston Rockets.
Darren Collison averaged 14.5 points per game for UCLA in 2008, pairing up with Westbrook to create one of the most dangerous backcourts in the country.
After the Final Four loss in 2008, Collison would return to UCLA for his senior year before entering the NBA Draft. He's currently averaging 13 points and 5 assists per game during his second stint with the Indiana Pacers.
Lorenzo Mata came off the bench for UCLA in 2008, contributing as a key role player in his four years with the Bruins.
Mata went undrafted, but would go on to play in Mexico's professional league and be an important part of the Mexican national team. He is currently with the Soles de Mexicali playing in the Mexican LNBP.
Alfred Aboya also came from Cameroon, and alongside Moute inspired Bruins fans to start the "Cameroon Crazies" — a play on the infamous Cameron Crazies fans for the Duke Blue Devils. Aboya also played all four years with UCLA as a part of the winningest class in school history.
Aboya is now a graduate assistant at Mississippi State, where he helps his former coach Ben Howland teach players the finer points of playing the low post.
Speaking of, Ben Howland was head coach of the Bruins throughout their astounding streak of Final Four runs, leading UCLA to the national semifinals in three consecutive seasons.
Today, he's head coach at Mississippi State. The Bulldogs didn't qualify for the NCAA Tournament this year, but did make the NIT — marking they're first postseason basketball of any kind since 2012.
Meanwhile, the Memphis Tigers, who beat UCLA in the Final Four that year, weren't without talent of their own. Most notably, future first overall pick Derrick Rose.
Rose would go on to win the NBA MVP in 2011, before a slew of injuries sent his career spiraling. After stints with the Knicks and Cavaliers, Rose is once again looking to start fresh with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Now check out where the most hated team in the history of college basketball ended up.
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