University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Three Bruins Advance in NBA Postseason
May 04, 2026 | Men's Basketball
Three former UCLA standouts – Kyle Anderson, Adem Bona and Jaylen Clark – have helped their NBA teams advance to the NBA postseason's conference semifinals, which tip off on Monday, May 4.
Anderson and Clark, both with the Minnesota Timberwolves, helped Minnesota to a first-round series win over the No. 3-seed Denver Nuggets (Western Conference). Minnesota, the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference, will take on No. 2-seed San Antonio in a best-of-seven-game series that begins Monday (NBA postseason, full schedule here).
Anderson played in the first five games in the opening-round series, averaging 7.0 minutes per game. Clark averaged 11.5 minutes in Minnesota's final two games in the series win over Denver, totaling three points and three rebounds.
Bona, with the No. 7-seed Philadelphia 76ers (Eastern Conference), played in five of seven games in the 76ers' first-round series win against the No. 2-seed Boston Celtics. Philadelphia battled back from a 3-to-1 game deficit in the opening series. Bona had 10 points, five rebounds and three blocks in Game 4. He averaged 10.5 minutes in five games in the series against Boston.
Philadelphia will take on the No. 3-seed New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinal round, opening a best-of-seven-game series on Monday, May 4.
UCLA's program has seen 23 former players help their NBA team win the NBA Finals, 38 total times. The most recent UCLA players to have won NBA titles have included Jrue Holiday (in 2021 and 2024), Peyton Watson (2023), Kevon Looney (2017, 2018 and 2022) and Norman Powell (2019).
From 2016 through 2024, UCLA had at least one former player win the NBA title in eight of those nine NBA Finals. Holiday is the most recent former UCLA player to have led his team to the NBA championship, leading the Boston Celtics to the title in 2024.
The NBA's postseason has four best-of-seven-game series set to open this Monday and Tuesday – two in the Western Conference and two in the Eastern Conference. In addition to Minnesota and San Antonio in the Western Conference, the No. 1-seed Oklahoma City Thunder will take on the No. 4-seed Los Angeles Lakers.
Likewise, in the Eastern Conference, Philadelphia will face the New York Knicks, while the No. 1-seed Detroit Pistons will compete against the No. 4-seed Cleveland Cavaliers.
