Welcome to my team preview series for 2024-25. Each day between now and the start of the college basketball season, I will preview one team or conference, both on Instagram (@collegehoopsoutlet) and through an article here. The preview will go in-depth on the roster build of the team, my expectations for their upcoming season, and the state of the program under their current head coach.
UCLA (Projected: 3rd in B1G)
It was a drama-filled rebuild year for UCLA in 2023-24, with Mick Cronin making national headlines a couple of times for his post-game remarks. The Bruins went 16-17 on the year, coming off the back of three straight second-weekend trips in the NCAA Tournament. With a handful of guys back and plenty of experienced transfers coming in, the Bruins should be able to bounce right back.
Highlighting the returners is the young backcourt duo of Dylan Andrews (13 ppg, 4 apg) and Sebastian Mack (12 ppg, 4 rpg). Andrews broke out as a sophomore, even in a bad Bruins team, jumping up nearly 10 ppg and becoming the team’s leading ball handler. Now a junior, the weight will be on Andrews’ shoulders to be a leader in the backcourt for this team. Mack, like Andrews, is a non-threat from outside the arc, but was still a promising scorer as a freshman and showed potential on the defensive side of things as well. With Andrews and Mack both back, the Bruins have consistency in the backcourt and the duo should be able to raise their shooting percentages by good marks with new surrounding talent.
Sharpshooting Lazar Stefanovic (12 ppg, 6 rpg) continues the list of returners for the Bruins. Stefanovic transferred in last offseason from Utah and was the Bruins’ most consistent player and one of the few veterans on the roster last season. With how my projected lineup shook out, I have Stefanovic coming off the bench, but there is definitely a high possibility he starts for the Bruins. 7-3 center, Aday Mara (4 ppg) wasn’t a huge factor for the Bruins as a freshman, but I have hope with a full year of college basketball now under his belt, he can start to develop into an important frontcourt player for UCLA. Sophomores Brandon Williams (3 ppg) and Devin Williams (1 ppg) are the final returners, two more returners from last year’s large freshman class.
Six players left the UCLA basketball program this offseason, none more important than forward Adem Bona (12 ppg, 6 rpg), who chose the professional route after his sophomore year. Along with Bona departing in the frontcourt were forwards Berke Buyuktuncel (5 ppg) and Kenneth Nwuba (1 ppg). In the backcourt, Will McClendon (4 ppg), Jan Vide (2 ppg) and Ilane Fibleuil (1 ppg) all left the program.
The Bruins may have brought in one of my favorite transfer classes in all of college basketball this offseason, highlighted by former rival Kobe Johnson (11 ppg, 5 rpg at USC). Johnson has proven to be a high-level player at the power conference level over the past two seasons, exceling with his length on the defensive end. The addition of Johnson on the wing for the Bruins can’t be understated, and I think he will shine as one of the best defenders in the Big Ten. Skyy Clark (13 ppg at Louisville), even playing at the dumpster fire of Louisville, had a solid sophomore season. The talent is definitely there, something that has been known for a handful of years now. Adding Clark into the Bruins’ backcourt gives another option as a primary ball handler and scorer, and he won’t have as much pressure on himself playing alongside Andrews and Mack. Dominick Harris (14 ppg at LMU) was an extremely efficient three-level scorer at LMU last season and would be another important piece for the Bruins’ backcourt but isn’t yet listed on the Bruins’ official roster at the time of this preview. Harris committed to UCLA earlier this offseason, but rumors are floating that he hasn’t yet been admitted into the school.
UCLA’s frontcourt got its own trio of additions this offseason, and all three players should have sizable roles for Mick Cronin. William Kyle III (13 ppg, 7 rpg at South Dakota State) is my favorite of the bunch, a blossoming junior who broke out as a sophomore in the Summit League. Kyle provides everything you could ask for from a center, an efficient scorer, hardworking rebounder, and terrific defender. Next to Kyle will likely be Tyler Bilodeau (14 ppg, 6 rpg at Oregon State), a scoring forward who broke out for Oregon State this past season. Bilodeau could be one of the leading scorers on this team, already showing scoring pedigree on a struggling Pac 12 team last season. Eric Dailey Jr. (9 ppg, 5 rpg at Oklahoma State) will be another option in the frontcourt, an athletic forward with a year of power conference experience now under his belt.
After disaster struck last season with a freshman-laden roster, Cronin spent much more time in the transfer portal and much less on the recruiting trails. Trent Perry (4*, NAT 29) could be another important piece in the backcourt rotation as a freshman, an all-around point guard that can shoot, create and defend. With much less weight on his shoulders than last year’s freshmen, Perry could thrive in a bench role this year before breaking out in 2025-26 as a sophomore. Eric Freeny (3*, NAT 138) likely won’t see much time as a freshman, but is another local kid that could contribute in future seasons.
In Bruins’ fans eyes, there’s only one way to go after last season’s disaster, and that is up. The Bruins were one of college basketball’s elite teams for three years running before the 2023-24 campaign, but I don’t think it’s impossible for the Bruins to bounce right back up. Mick Cronin has proven himself as a coach in the past and with a much more experienced roster this season, his work should be a lot less stressful.
The top 9-10 guys on this UCLA roster are all relatively close to each other talent-wise in my eyes, and I think that will show in the minutes log and in the scoring column. I think the balance in the backcourt and on the wings will give the Bruins an advantage as the season rolls in, but the frontcourt is where questions could arise. I mentioned my love for South Dakota State transfer William Kyle III earlier, and I think he is the X-factor for this team. If he can make a smooth transition to the power conference level from the Summit League, he gives the Bruins an extremely viable and reliable option at the five. We’ve seen Summit League transfers not pan out at higher levels before, but this is a guy who should be able to match Big Ten bigs’ physicality.
The Big Ten is extremely even across the board, and especially at the top of the conference this season. Even after last season’s results, I think the Bruins should come in as one of the five favorites to win the conference in their first year in the Big Ten. I’ve got the Bruins placed third in my rankings right now, just above Oregon, Illinois, Ohio State and Michigan State.