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UCLA basketball: 5 best seasons in Bruins history, ranked

By Mike Phillips

21 Nov 2000: Former Coach John Wooden of the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) Bruins watches the action during the game against the California State University of Northridge (CSUN) Matadors at the Pauley Pavillion in Westwood, California. The Matadors defeated the Bruins 78-74.Mandatory Credit: Jeff Gross /Allsport
21 Nov 2000: Former Coach John Wooden of the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) Bruins watches the action during the game against the California State University of Northridge (CSUN) Matadors at the Pauley Pavillion in Westwood, California. The Matadors defeated the Bruins 78-74.Mandatory Credit: Jeff Gross /Allsport /
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Best UCLA basketball seasons ever
(Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /

1. Bill Walton leads UCLA basketball to 1971-72 title in dominant fashion

There are great Bruins’ teams and then there are the 1971-72 UCLA Bruins. This team was one of four undefeated Bruins’ squads coached by John Wooden, but this squad was clearly the most dominant.

After winning the national championship the year before, the program’s fifth straight title, UCLA not only retained the core of that squad but bolstered it with Bill Walton. Widely seen as the heir to Abdul-Jabbar, Walton had impressed on the freshmen team before gaining his eligibility for the varsity squad.

UCLA not only went undefeated to win the national championship, but they absolutely annihilated the competition in the process. The average margin of victory for the Bruins in the 1971-72 season was over 30 points per game, an almost unfathomable level of dominance.

Walton impressed in his varsity debut, averaging 21.1 points per game and 15.5 rebounds per game to easily make the All-American team. Bibby, one of the mainstays from the previous year’s championship squad, joined Walton on the All-American team.

This UCLA team was downright scary to watch and trampled pretty much everyone who dared to get in their way. There’s no question that the 1971-72 edition of the UCLA Bruins is the greatest team that the school has ever assembled.

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