Holiday and Collison Selected In 1st Round of NBA Draft

By Bruin Basketball Report 

History of UCLA Bruins First Round NBA Draft Picks

HIstory of UCLA Bruins in the NBA

UCLA guards Jrue Holiday and Darren Collison were chosen in the first round of the 2009 NBA draft. They become the 105th and 106th UCLA players to be selected in the NBA draft history. 

Freshman Holiday was drafted 17th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers.  He played in all 35 games for the Bruins last year while averaging 8.5 points and 3.7 assists and making the Pac-10 All-Freshman Team. 

Holiday joins an up and coming team in the 76ers.

"The great thing for Jrue is that he's with a great franchise," UCLA head coach Ben Howland said. "He's in a great situation. They've got a pretty good team. They had good pieces, and they've got good young talent. For a point guard to have a lot of talent, that's a dream situation." 

Senior point guard Darren Collison was selected as the 21st pick by the New Orleans Hornets, a team where he'll be able to hone his skills at practices against NBA All-Star Chris Paul.

"Darren is going to be in a great situation in the league, playing for an outstanding coach in Byron Scott and playing behind maybe the best point guard in the NBA," UCLA Howland said. "It's a great situation for Darren." 

Collison started every game for UCLA in his senior season when he averaged 14.4 points and 4.7 assists. Collison made three Final Four appearances during his illustrious four-year career as a Bruin.

It marks the second straight year that UCLA has produced two first-round draft picks in the same year, which is the first time that feat has been accomplished in UCLA history.  Last season Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love were picked in the first round.  

UCLA is the all-time collegiate leader in NBA Draft selections with 106 players drafted.