"It's been an incredible journey, really," Welsh said Tuesday. "It's been a dream come true to be able to be an L.A. kid and be able to play for UCLA with my parents coming to the games and all that. It's really been special."
Welsh returned for his senior season rather than enter the NBA draft in part to enhance his three-point shooting and defensive technique. His strides in both areas have helped make him a late-season candidate for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, given annually to the top big man in college basketball. He'll also leave UCLA with a degree in economics.