UCLA nabs Top 100 guard Zach LaVine

On the heels of an elite 2012 recruiting class, UCLA got the ball rolling in 2013 with a verbal commitment from Top 100 guard Zach LaVine of Bothell (Bothell, Wash.) on Wednesday night.

The 6-foot-3, 170-pound combo guard averaged 23.5 points per game as a junior at Bothell, leading the program to Washington's Class 4A state tournament.

Following a visit to the UCLA campus June 1, it appeared that a pledge to the Bruins was only a matter of time though he planned to hold off until August. Having family in the area, including uncle and godfather Marvin Clark, finally put him over the top.

"It just made sense to do it now and get it over with," LaVine said. "It was a great opportunity to be down there with my family again. The campus is beautiful and the coaches are great."

LaVine, ranked No. 58 in the MaxPreps Class of 2013 Top 100 and likely to rise in the August update, participated in the Pangos All-American Camp earlier this month in Long Beach, Calif., and had a bit of a national coming out party. He's a long 6-3 with elite athleticism, looks at ease handling the ball against pressure and can fill it up from virtually anywhere on the court.

Hometown Washington was the other primary contender for the rising senior's services. Breaking the news to Husky head coach Lorenzo Romar wasn't easy, according to LaVine.

"That was probably the hardest decision I've made," LaVine said. "Coach Romar is probably the coolest coach I've ever talked to. He doesn't talk to you like he is recruiting you, he talks to you like you are already on the team and part of his family, but now I'm going to have to go at him."

LaVine also considered Arizona and Louisville.

For Ben Howland and UCLA, LaVine's pledge continues a recent recruiting run that has the program's fortunes looking up. The 2012 class was rated No. 2 nationally and included No. 2 overall prospect Shabazz Muhammad and No. 3 Kyle Anderson. The Bruins also added five-star big man Tony Parker to a deep frontcourt late in the process and will enter next season as the favorite in the Pac-12 Conference.