The UCLA Bruins hit a grand slam Monday when Miller Grove (GA) big man Tony Parker announced that Westwood would be his college destination.

With prized recruits Shabazz Muhammad, Kyle Anderson and Jordan Adams already on board, the Bruins head into 2012 with national title aspirations. Parker chose the Bruins over home state Georgia, Duke, Kansas, Ohio State and Memphis.

The addition of Parker provides UCLA with a beast in the paint that can score and rebound. At 6-9 280, Parker should bolster the Bruin frontline that returns Joshua Smith, Travis Wear and David Wear.

The UCLA Bruins basketball team shrugged off the recent controversy surrounding the state of the program to defeat the conference leading Washington Huskies 75-69 at Pauley Pavilion last Saturday. Amid the media storm, head coach Ben Howland’s job security has never been more tenuous. Rest assured, if the Bruins were making Final Fours like they used to under Howland, there would be no controversy.