Before Golden State Warriors center Kevon Looney won an NBA championship, he was with the Bruins and tried to lead UCLA to a national championship in 2014-15.
UCLA lost to Gonzaga in the South Regional semifinals, but Looney said it was one of the moments he will remember for the rest of his life.
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UCLA Bruins forward #5 Kevon Looney during the Sweet Sixteen. (Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“March Madness was a lot of fun,” he told FOX News Digital in a recent interview. “Before I came here (to the NBA), that was the biggest game for me to play in, the arena, which is pretty cool.
“These are moments you’ll remember for the rest of your life. My advice to kids coming in is just have fun and embrace it. Embrace the media, embrace practice, embrace your teammates. . I don’t know how long it’s going to last. This basketball game, I’m going to be able to play on a stage like that.”
Looney said his March Madness experience was “a lot of fun,” but he wished he could have helped the Bruins go even further.
#5 Kevon Looney of the UCLA Bruins watches the game against the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the South Regional semifinal round of the 2015 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at NRG Stadium on March 27, 2015 in Houston. (Lance King/Getty Images)
Wagner gets his first win in March Madness history after Howard misses a free throw late in the game.
UCLA was the No. 11 seed in the region and defeated SMU in the Round of 64. In the Round of 32, the team lost in the Sweet 16 to No. 14 UAB.
Looney averaged 11.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game in his only season at UCLA and was named an All-Freshman in the Pac-12 Conference. He turned pro a year later and was drafted by the Warriors.
UCLA missed the men’s tournament for the third consecutive time this year.
invisalign partnership
Golden State Warriors No. 5 Kevon Looney warms up before a game against the Philadelphia 76ers on January 30, 2024 at Chase Center in San Francisco. (Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
Looney will join his new team during the 2023-24 season, at least off the floor. He partnered with Invisalign to help him feel a little more confident throughout the day.
“It was something I always wanted to try. I always wanted to improve my smile. I love smiling, so I wanted to improve it and boost my confidence a little bit.” he explained to FOX News Digital. “I joined the team this year and it was a great experience.”
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Rooney said she chose Invisalign instead of braces because she wanted to maintain as much space as possible between her teeth.
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