Some of the top names in the history of college basketball players such as Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), Bill Walton, Ed O'Bannon, Sidney Wicks, Marques Johnson, Reggie Miller, Baron Davis, Ann Meyers, Denise Curry and Pete Maravich and coaches such as John Wooden, Dean Smith and Denny Crum have appeared in Pauley. Numerous star athletes in other sports have enhanced Pauley's reputation as perhaps the nation's most famous collegiate sporting facility. In addition, many world-class competitions, including the 1984 Olympic gymnastics and a historic table tennis match between the United States and China, entertainers such as Bob Dylan, Bob Hope, Henry Mancini, Frank Sinatra, Luciano Pavoratti, Bobby Brown, Eric Clapton, Guns and Roses and the Grateful Dead have graced the Pavilion.

During the 1995-96 school year, UCLA won its 16th NCAA men's volleyball championship (its ninth in Pauley Pavilion). In 1987-88, Pauley was the site of the men's NCAA Basketball West Regional first and second rounds. In 1986-87, the Pavilion served as the site of the inaugural Pacific-10 Conference Post Season Tournament. Other 1986-87 highlights included the Bruin men's gymnastics team winning its second NCAA team championship in the Pavilion and the UCLA men's volleyball team winning its 12th NCAA title.

The Pavilion was the site of three NCAA championship events in 1984-85 Men's and Women's Volleyball finals and Women's Basketball regionals. During the 1983-84 school year, Pauley served as the site of five NCAA events Men's and Women's Gymnastics championships, Men's Basketball regionals, Women's Basketball Final Four and Men's Volleyball championships. The Pavilion also is used for intramural sports and Fine Arts events throughout the school year.