UCLA Center Thomas Welsh Selected 58th by the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Draft

With the 58th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Denver Nuggets selected Thomas Welsh, Center, UCLA Bruins.

Thomas Welsh is a lunchpail kind of guy. In an era of one-and-dones, the 7-foot Welsh stuck around at UCLA for all four years.

In the process, Thomas Welsh did something few players do these days at the college level — he developed into an NBA-caliber guy. He did it by working hard each and every day.

As an added bonus, the Nuggets are getting a young man with good character. Welsh is a guy who always thanks his coaches after each practice and each game.

I ran into him a few months ago on a parking structure elevator near Pauley Pavilion and he was as genuine in person as I had heard others say he was. How many college basketball players would say it was nice to meet you and really mean it? That’s what Tom said to me as I got into my car.

That’s Thomas Welsh, the young man who has now finished his career at UCLA, and that’s who the Denver Nuggets picked tonight with the 58th selection of the NBA Draft.

Something tells me that the Nuggets will be happy that they drafted him for a long time.

Congratulations, Tom!


Go Bruins!!!