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We are always looking to celebrate all of our athletes' achievements even when they do not occur on the basketball court and seeing how UCLA is known for excellent academics above all else, it's amazing whenever they are recognized for thriving in the classroom.

Russell Stong had a long career with the UCLA men's basketball team as he stuck around for five seasons before graduating this most recent year and teammates would always speak very highly of his guidance and locker room presence. Stong had been recognized numerous times for his excellence in his studies and he most recently was selected to the NABC Honors Court.

"Stong, an Honors Court selection for the third straight season, graduated from UCLA this spring with degrees in mechanical engineering and business economics. He spent his fifth and final season of college basketball with the Bruins in 2022-23, helping UCLA advance to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 for the third consecutive season. Stong intends to enroll in UCLA's graduate program in engineering in 2023-24. The NABC Honors Court includes junior, senior and graduate student men's basketball players who finished the 2022-23 school year with a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher. The NABC's academic awards include honorees from all levels of college basketball."

(Via UCLA Bruins)

Stong was able to play alongside a number of talented names all throughout his time in Westwood and he serves as a prime example of what a student-athlete should be. He has shown nothing but consistency during his time as a Bruin and we wish him nothing but the best as he continues his educational journey.