STUDIO CITY — The journey in Westwood never finished for former UCLA center Lorenzo Mata-Real. There was still one more task to complete.
And the 6-foot-9 defensive anchor for the Bruins never forgot.
Mata-Real was a key figure who led UCLA to three straight Final Four appearances in 2006, 2007 and 2008 alongside fellow LA natives like Taft alum Jordan Farmar, Westchester’s Arron Afflalo and Fairfax’s Josh Shipp.
He was also raised alone by his mother and made a promise to one day become the first person from his family to graduate from college.
Mata-Real accomplished that goal in June and received his bachelor’s in history from UCLA.
“It’s never too late,” Mata-Real said. “I was super close to finishing. It was worth the shot, and I knew I could do it. I was able to knock it out. This was about closure.”
Before joining UCLA, hardly a basketball fan or coach in America knew who Mata-Real was or could locate South Gate, the school he attended just five miles north of Compton and 15 miles west of Inglewood. As fate would have it, the first person to see Mata-Real’s value was Bobby Knight. In the era before social media and the internet, Knight noticed Mata-Real’s impact. The intangibles, the raw strength built lifting in the weight room, and his unselfishness.
A Mexican-American who stood at 6-foot-9, could jump out of the building and compete at a high level? Southern California Basketball Hall of Famer Dana Pump, who created Mata-Real’s future AAU program Pump N Run, couldn’t believe what he was hearing at first.
“I remember saying to myself, who the hell is this?,” Pump said. “And now he’s graduated from college. What a story. The first in his family. I couldn’t be more proud.”
With three Final Fours under his belt, Pump believes Mata-Real deserves recognition as one of the all-time great centers alongside Bill Walton and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
“When you think of Kareem and Bill, you have to put Lorenzo in that category as well,” Pump said. “He’s one of the best.”
Fulfilling a mother’s hope and Mata-Real’s connection to John Wooden
His mother, Ryna Real, worked long nights, often 12-hour shifts, weaving and stitching fabric and clothing by hand as an embroiderer so her son could achieve his dreams.
“Her hands hurt because of how much she worked back in the day,” Mata-Real said. “I’ll always be indebted to her for all the things she’s done. To this day, she does so much for me.”
Mata gained the admiration of John Wooden because of his playing style.
“I’d give him a hug before every game when he was in attendance,” Mata-Real said. “I had a great relationship with him. I love John Wooden, his family, and it was always a great time seeing him there.”
He prioritized defense, rebounding, and took charges.
After his senior season, Mata-Real became an NBA Summer League player for the Los Angeles Lakers before embarking on a journey playing professional basketball for 11 seasons in Mexico and Puerto Rico. He competed for Mexico and helped lead his fellow countrymen to the FIBA AmeriCup gold medal in 2013.
Becoming a role model through basketball
Mata-Real isn’t sure what his next chapter will look like. What is certain, however, is his passion for helping teenagers through basketball and creating a system where quality coaching and training are more affordable.
With Reyna at work providing for the household, he relied on coaches or the parents of teammates to commute to games and they would offer financial help for tournaments.
AAU coaches like Rico Cabrera from Pump and Run helped Mata with everything from breakfast, lunch, and dinner to providing sneakers and jerseys.
“He’d always pick me up and then take me back home after practice,” Mata-Real said.
With his professional career over, Mata-Real wants to be a trainer and support players who come from similar backgrounds.
“If you work with me and want to get into the gym, we’ll do it tomorrow,” Mata-Real said. “You just got to put in the work. If you put your effort into it, no one is stopping you.”
Mata-Real achieved his dreams playing professional basketball. Now he wants to be a resource to use for the next generation.
“Keep going, don’t give up and don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t do something,” Mata-Real said. “Believe in yourself and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Whether it’s basketball or soccer, there’s always people that are willing to help. Just for it. Don’t settle or tell yourself you’ll do it tomorrow.”
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