UCLA’s basketball team secured a commitment from point guard recruit Kyle Anderson Monday in a move that bolsters the team’s future outlook. Anderson is a 2012 recruit and he joins Jordan Adams and Dominic Artis in what is supposedly shaping up as one of the top classes in the country. There’s even speculation that Anderson’s commitment could lead to top recruit Shabazz Muhammad joining him at UCLA, but that’s not what I’m here for.
Yes, it’s a good sign that after a few down seasons Ben Howland hit the recruiting trail hard, but securing commitments does not equal wins. No team has ever won a championship when a high schooler faxed them a letter. What is of interest to me is the reason Anderson picked UCLA.
According to the LA Times, “Anderson said UCLA Coach Ben Howland’s record of producing successful NBA point guards was a major selling point. Recent Bruins Jordan Farmar, Russell Westbrook and Darren Collison have all become productive professional players.”
Isn’t that the exact opposite of how most people view UCLA? Howland’s offensive system has always been thought to restrict players’ abilities to showcase their talent. It’s part of the reason Jordan Farmar reportedly left after two years, and part of the reason why other recruits haven’t wanted to come to UCLA. But apparently Anderson sees the success of many of Howland’s guards and he views things differently. Consider this a potential breakthrough for Howland.
Pic via The Hoop Group
