Every University of Cincinnati player drafted by the Lakers

The University of Cincinnati is one of the more successful programs in the history of college basketball. It has made the NCAA Tournament 33 times, gotten to the Final Four six times and won the national championship twice. The school has produced plenty of NBA players, including former Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin and Hall of Famers Oscar Robertson and Jack Twyman.

Four Bearcats players have been drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers over the years. Here is a look at each one.

Jim Holstein -- forward

After averaging 15.3 points and 13.2 rebounds a game in three years with the Bearcats, Holstein was taken by the Lakers in the second round of the 1952 draft. He played three seasons with the Lakers and one with the Fort Wayne Pistons, averaging 3.8 points and 2.9 rebounds in 15.4 minutes a game across four NBA seasons.

Rick Roberson -- center/power forward

In three years at the University of Cincinnati, Roberson put up 15.7 points and 12.4 rebounds per game. He spent his first two pro seasons with the Lakers after they took him with the No. 15 pick in the 1969 draft. Roberson got more playing time after leaving Los Angeles in 1971 and averaged nine points and 8.3 boards in 24.5 minutes a game throughout his NBA career.

Nick Van Exel -- guard

Van Exel showed promise in his two years with the Bearcats, averaging 18.3 points a game in his final year there. He was expected by some to go early in the 1993 draft, but concerns about his attitude caused him to slip, and the Lakers snagged him with pick No. 37.

It was two years after Magic Johnson's first retirement, and the Lakers badly needed a floor general and a leader. Van Exel quickly filled both roles and helped the franchise rebuild quickly after it missed the playoffs during his rookie season. He averaged 14.9 points and 7.3 assists a game in his five seasons in L.A. and made the All-Star team in 1998.

Not only was he a very capable player, but he also played with plenty of heart. In those days before Kobe Bryant's arrival and emergence as a legend, Van Exel was L.A.'s designated go-to guy in crunch time, and he routinely hit a number of clutch and game-winning shots.

For his career, which spanned 13 years, he registered 14.4 points and 6.6 assists per game.

Ruber Patterson -- forward

The Lakers took Patterson in the second round of the 1998 draft after he averaged 14.8 points and 5.9 rebounds a game in two years with the Bearcats. He barely played as a rookie with Los Angeles, but he joined the Seattle SuperSonics the following season and started to blossom a bit.

He played 10 years in the NBA and ended with career marks of 10.7 points and 4.2 rebounds in 24.6 minutes per contest.

This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Every University of Cincinnati player drafted by the Lakers