Steve Alford welcomes UCLA fans to open basketball practice

More than 1,000 UCLA basketball fans showed up at Pauley Pavilion on Sunday afternoon to receive a sneak peek at this year’s Bruins team going through a full practice under the direction of first-year Coach Steve Alford.

Zach LaVine, a 6-foot-5 freshman from Seattle, is certain to become a crowd favorite because of his athleticism. He was showing his leaping ability with dunks and also making shots from long range.

Bryce Alford, a freshman point guard and the son of the head coach, demonstrated lots of ability, making it clear he’s going to be a major contributor.

Jordan Adams, a sophomore returning from a broken foot, is still trying to get into shape. The Wear brothers, Travis and David, were active. Norman Powell, a 6-4 junior, was running the court well with several dunks. Kyle Anderson, a 6-9 sophomore, remains the player UCLA will be turning to in important situations.

Isaac Hamilton, a freshman guard who enrolled late after deciding not to attend UTEP and is still seeking NCAA eligibility, was trying to get a feel for where he fits on the team.

UCLA has an exhibition game against Cal State Bernardino on Oct. 30 and opens its season Nov. 8 at home against Drexel with a 9 p.m. tipoff.

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