Fourteen former UCLA men’s basketball players are set to appear on NBA opening-night rosters as the 2025-26 season begins on Tuesday, October 21.
Among the most experienced alumni are Kevin Love of the Utah Jazz and Russell Westbrook of the Sacramento Kings, both entering their 18th NBA season. Jrue Holiday, now with the Portland Trail Blazers, will start his 17th year in the league. Westbrook and Love were first-round picks in 2008, while Holiday was selected in the first round in 2009.
Kyle Anderson (Utah Jazz) and Zach LaVine (Sacramento Kings), former UCLA teammates, are beginning their 12th seasons. Both Anderson and Love are new additions to Utah, while LaVine is starting his first full season with Sacramento after a trade last year.
Norman Powell, who played alongside Anderson and LaVine at UCLA in 2013-14, will begin his 11th NBA season and his first with the Miami Heat.
Kevon Looney joined the New Orleans Pelicans this summer after nine seasons with the Golden State Warriors.
Aaron Holiday (Houston Rockets), Jrue Holiday’s younger brother, will begin his eighth NBA season and third with Houston. He was drafted in the first round by Indiana in 2018.
Lonzo Ball will start his eighth NBA season with the Cleveland Cavaliers after being acquired from Chicago in the offseason.
Five recent UCLA players—Peyton Watson (Denver Nuggets), Johnny Juzang (Minnesota Timberwolves), Jaime Jaquez Jr. (Miami Heat), Jaylen Clark (Minnesota Timberwolves), and Adem Bona (Philadelphia 76ers)—are also expected to be on NBA rosters. Watson enters his fourth season with Denver; Juzang starts his fourth NBA season and first with Minnesota; Jaquez Jr. begins his third season with Miami; Clark enters his second season in Minnesota; and Bona, drafted in the second round in 2024, will start his second season with Philadelphia.
The NBA’s opening night features Houston playing at Oklahoma City and Golden State facing the Los Angeles Lakers. Aaron Holiday is the only former UCLA player expected to play on Tuesday. The schedule continues with 12 games on Wednesday and two on Thursday, with up to 12 former UCLA players potentially seeing action on Wednesday.
