BRUINS IN THE REAL WORLD: (UCLA ‘70)

BY BILL BENNETT

BRW“I don ’t know what it is, but when a game gets close, I don ’t get UCLA nervous at all. I figure it doesn ’t do any good to get nervous. During Vallely ’s two seasons (1968-69/1969-70) as a Bruin starting guard under , The only thing I keep thinking is that I don ’t want to lose. ” UCLA won two NCAA Championships and two Pac-8 titles, with an overall record of 57-3. Vallely, at John Vallely, Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, Dec. 11, 1969 6-3 and 177 pounds, was a forward in junior college and switched to the guard position at UCLA. As a guard, he dribbled left-handed and shot right-handed. During his playing days as a standout UCLA guard under John As a junior, with fellow starters senior guard Ken Heitz, senior center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Lew Wooden, John Vallely was known as the “Money Man ” for his Alcindor), sophomore forward and senior forward , Vallely was the ability to come through when needed in the Bruins ’ big games. team ’s third leading scorer (11.0) and top foul shooter. In UCLA ’s 85-82 win over Drake in an NCAA Now, Vallely raises money for an important and worthy cause Championship semifinal game, Vallely led the Bruins with 29 points (9-11 from the field/11 of 14 from that is dear to his heart—the Pediatric Cancer Research the foul line). In UCLA ’s 92-72 NCAA title win over Coach Wooden ’s alma mater Purdue, he scored 15 Foundation (PCRF). On Nov. 2, the UCLA men ’s team points and earned NCAA All-Tournament honors. The Bruins ’ finished with a 29-1 overall record. and head coach Ben Howland will host “Dribble for the Cure, ”a As a senior, Vallely was the team ’s No. 2 scorer (16.3), shot .721 from the foul line and was named fund-raising event for PCRF and the Mattel Children ’s Hospital to the National Association of Basketball Coaches All-American team. During UCLA ’s run to its sixth UCLA. NCAA Championship and fourth consecutive national title, Vallely averaged 16.5 points in NCAA For many years, Vallely and his family have been on the front play. In UCLA ’s 93-77 victory over New Mexico State in the NCAA Championship semifinals, Vallely lines in the battle against cancer. A starting guard on John led the Bruins with 23 points. He scored 15 points in UCLA ’s 80-69 national championship win over Wooden ’s 1969 and 1970 UCLA NCAA Championship teams, Jacksonville and again earned NCAA All-Tournament honors. Vallely captained the Bruins ’ 1969-70 Vallely is a two-time stem cell transplant cancer-survivor and squad and was the only senior among fellow-starters, sophomore guard , junior center the Director of Scientific Affairs for PCRF. In 1991, John and Karen Vallely lost their daughter Erin to Steve Patterson and junior forwards and Rowe. The Bruins ’ overall record was 28-2, cancer at the age of 12. including a 14-0 conference mark. A versatile athlete, Vallely during the course of his athletic career competed in basketball, baseball Along with his basketball talents, Vallely dominated two-man beach volleyball from 1968-70 with and track and was an outstanding volleyball player. He is now using his diversified talents for a much Bruin great Ron Von Hagan. From 1970-72, he played on Wilt Chamberlain ’s four-man professional higher goal – finding a cure for children ’s cancer. volleyball team. Vallely graduated from UCLA in 1970, majoring in sociology. HIGH SCHOOL/JUNIOR COLLEGE A basketball standout at Corona del Mar High under coach Bob Leslie, Vallely was twice his PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL CAREER league ’s Player of the Year and earned Southern California All-CIF honors. A first round draft selection by the (No. 14 selection), he then spent time with the Before enrolling at UCLA, Vallely was a standout JC forward at Orange Coast College, earning All- (1972-73). Vallely was also the Denver Rockets ’ first draft choice in the ABA draft. State and All-Southern California honors. As a sophomore, he averaged 26.0 points a game and In his first season (1970-71) with the Hawks, he played in 51 games and averaged 8.4 minutes and earned JC All-America honors 3.7 points. In 1971-72, Vallely split 49 games with Atlanta and Houston, averaging 7.5 minutes and Following junior college, Vallely tried out for the U. S. Olympic basketball team, working with the 3.4 points. With the Atlanta Hawks, one of his teammates was the late “Pistol ” . national JC squad in Hutchinson, KS and was coached by . In 1975, Vallely was a player-coach for a professional basketball team in Brussels, Belgium.

14 • BRUIN BLUE • OCTOBER 2008