Lorenzo Mata-Real is an American-born of Mexican descent professional basketball player in Mexico"s Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional.
Education
Mata averaged 25.0 points and 15.0 rebounds in his senior season. He led the South Gate Rams to an 18–8 overall record, an unbeaten Eastern League mark and one playoff victory. In the Los Angeles City Sectional quarterfinal game, future University of California, Los Angeles teammate Josh Shipp"s Fairfax High School team defeated South Gate 89–85.
In his junior year he led South Gate to their first playoff victory in 11 years.
Career
He was the center for the University of California, Los Angeles Bruins men"s basketball team from 2004-2005 until 2007-2008, and was an important part of their final four runs in 2006, 2007, and 2008. Mata was recruited by Ben Howland along with Jordan Farmar, Josh Shipp, and Arron Afflalo to attend University of California, Los Los Angeles These four led University of California, Los Angeles to the Final Four in back to back seasons (2005–2006, 2006–2007). As of the 2006–2007 season Mata had a career average of 4.6 points and 4.4 rebounds a game.
His stats improved each year at University of California, Los Angeles, scoring 6.7 points and pulling down 5.5 rebounds while shooting 67% from the floor during his junior year.
In his senior season he added his mother"s last name (Real) to his jersey. After going undrafted in the 2008 National Basketball Association draft, Mata tried out for a team in the Japanese pro league.
He then signed onto the Los Angeles Lakers summer league team in order to make a name for himself among National Basketball Association scouts. In 2013, Mata helped lead Mexico to victory in the Gold medal game against Puerto Rico at the International Basketball Federation Americas Championship.