One of the most promising Slovenian basketball players, Jan Vide, who shone at the last youth Euroleague final tournament, is leaving Madrid and will continue his career in the USA at UCLA University.
The 18-year-old and 197-centimeter-tall native of Domžal became the European champion in the youth category with Real Madrid, and at the tournament in Kaunas he was also chosen as the tournament’s most valuable individual. The great hope of Slovenian basketball, who was the top scorer of the under-17 world championship last year, was also Real’s top scorer in the Spanish youth league and the EBA League, the fourth tier of Spain, where the second team of the royal club competes.
He went to Spain four years ago, but before that he played in the junior categories of Helios. Vide is an excellent all-around scorer who will be under even greater scrutiny from NBA scouts by playing at the prestigious UCLA. With the way he plays, and of course the necessary quality he possesses, he is a suitable candidate for the next Slovenian in the strongest league in the world. Going to UCLA is thus another step closer to fulfilling his dream, which is what the NBA represents, as Jan also said.
UCLA record holder for most NCAA League titles
In the last period, quite a few Slovenian basketball players went to study in the USA, but so far only Erazem Lorbek attended a university that has one of the best basketball programs, Michigan State, where the once outstanding wing center during the Spartans spent the 2002/2003 season. UCLA is even more prestigious from a basketball perspective. Without a doubt, it belongs in the top five along with Kentucky, Duke, Kansas and North Carolina. Although the Bruins have not been as successful in recent years, they still hold the record with 11 NCAA League titles.
Synonymous with UCLA is a former coach John Woodenand another great expert worked in Westwood, Larry Brown. The most famous basketball player who attended Los Angeles University is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. In addition to him, there was also the first selection of the NBA League from UCLA Bill Walton. Both are members of the Hall of Fame, where more of the former Bruins have been inducted Reggie Miller, Gail Goodrich and Jamaal Wilkes. Of the still active basketball players, they attended UCLA, among others Jrue Holiday, Russell Westbrook, Zach LaVine, Kevin Love and Lonzo Ball. More than a hundred former UCLA players have played in the NBA so far, 39 of them were selected in the first round of the draft.
Source: Rtvslo
