Double A

Over the next few weeks, Arron Afflalo will mull his options and make a decision. It will be a good decision, one where he will put himself in a position to succeed. It will be the right decision, and Arron Afflalo will succeed.

You see, AA has made these types of decisions before. He was Ben Howland's first recruit at UCLA. Right now, that may seem like no big deal, as the Bruins have made back-to-back Final Fours and routinely bring in heralded national recruits, like Player of the Year Kevin Love. But rewind just four short years ago, when the Bruins were mired in an 11-17 season during Howland's first year. Committing to a program in shambles, with a first-year Pac-10 coach and no high-profile commits to date makes a name for yourself. Leading that same team to two Final Fours by your junior year etches your name in Bruin folklore.

But what about last year? Fresh off a national championship appearance, as the leading scorer for the national runner-up, it'd be easy for AA to look at his accomplishments and decide that he'd proven enough to take his game to the next level. But he took the prudent approach, didn't hire an agent, and sought the opinion of NBA executives. And instead of disregarding their advice like so many early-entrants, he respected what they had to say and returned to school to work on his game.

And boy, did AA ever succeed. He carried the Bruins offense, displaying better ballhandling and penetrating skills. He worked on his midrange game, adding post moves and pull-up J's. He maintained his role as the team's defensive stopper. The label that he disappears in big games vanished (for the most part) as he hit the game-winner against USC and propelled the Bruins to the Final Four with a monster game against Kansas. For his efforts, he was awarded with a different "AA" label: All-American.

But the truth is that AA's accomplishments are only half the story. Maybe because he entered UCLA at the same time as I did, maybe because he embodies the defensive intensity of Coach Howland, or maybe because no one works harder and makes you prouder to be a Bruin than AA, I will always cheer harder for #4 than any other Bruin athlete. His work ethic is legendary, as Howland has had to lock him out of the gym to keep him from wearing himself out with extra practice (see West Virginia, '06). His desire to win is unparalleled, as after the loss to Oregon, he stated "I never thought I'd feel like this again in my entire career here," with dead seriousness. The man simply hates losing.

There are so many great memories of AA. The game that put the Bruins on the national map, when he drilled four 3's in the early minutes at Michigan to carry the Bruins on national TV.... the dominating 2nd half of the 2006 game at Cal, when he put the team on his back and propelled it to the Pac-10 title... his defense against Ronald Steele in the 2nd round of the 2006 NCAA Tournament, forcing the guard into a missed three after hitting the go-ahead three just seconds earlier... showing the class to pick a crying Adam Morrison off the floor after the Bruins' amazing 2nd half comeback against Gonzaga... game-winner against USC, when he answered a Nick Young 4-point play with a pull-up and a silencer... his heroics in the 2nd half against Kansas, when he simply took over the game with a variety of deep 3's and clutch drives and took the Bruins to the Final Four.

The most underappreciated moment of all? Any time when he's matched up defensively one-on-one at the top of the key, and forces his opponent into a hurried, ugly shot. The shot clock goes off, the offensive player shakes his head in disgust, and AA struts off with a fist pump and a look of steely determination in his face.

But what I will remember most about Arron Afflalo is the man, not the player. He appreciates the history of the game and his role in the great Bruin tradition. He is respectful of other players, resisting opportunities to promote himself or bash others on national television, and picks up those that are down (see Morrison). He is an absolute class act, and displays a maturity that most of us 20-year olds won't have for a few more years. And he doesn't care about his statistics... he's all about winning. His grades are stellar, and he's on pace to graduate in just three years. He is more than a UCLA athlete, he's a model for the entire university. And I can think of no better representative than AA.

Ultimately, will AA end up as a star in the NBA? Probably not. His jump shot is flat. He doesn't possess outstanding quickness nor great hops. For being such a physical defender and strong offensive player, he doesn't rebound particularly well nor pass the ball outstandingly. He does, however, possess the desire to outwork his peers, the ability to listen and improve, and the focus and leadership to concentrate on the only goal that matters to him: winning. AA is a winner - he always has been and he always will be. And if he decides to make the jump to The League, some team will be very glad to have not only a quality player, but a quality person.

AA has two very appealing options in front of him. He can realize his lifelong goal of reaching the NBA and launching a successful career. Or, he can return for one more year to fulfill his quest for a national championship with his most talented supporting cast yet. He can't go wrong.

I say that Arron Afflalo will make the right decision because he always has. I know that Arron Afflalo will succeed because he always does.