LOS ANGELES — The UCLA men’s basketball team is in its final week of an eight-week summer practice period. With the regular season still two months out, the Bruins are acclimating their newcomers to their returners and building on the foundation they laid last season when they returned to the NCAA Tournament.
The Bruins finished 23-11 during the 2024-25 season and lost to Tennessee in the Round of 32. It was a positive season, but the program is judged by championship banners. Nothing else.
Head coach Mick Cronin, heading into his seventh season in Westwood, embraces that scrutiny. He built his team with nothing but that goal in mind. There was a clear theme when it came to the lessons he learned and the improvements he made for this season.
“We’re older and smarter,” Cronin said following the Bruins’ first practice of the offseason that was open to the media. “And I think, at the end of the day, last year, we weren’t big enough.”
The Bruins returned eight players, and have added five transfers who are all upperclassmen.
Donovan Dent is the key piece. The Riverside native was the Mountain West Player of the Year as a junior at New Mexico. He was the top-rated player in the transfer portal and will provide UCLA with a high-usage, high-efficiency point guard; a ball-handler who pushes the pace intelligently. A flat-out superstar.
“He just changes things,” Cronin said.
That was apparent from the first moment of live practice. On the first possession, Dent blew by Skyy Clark and scooped home a right-handed layup. He did the same against Trent Perry moments later. Dent shot 6 for 6 from 3-point range. He missed one shot all morning. He set up his teammates on time and on target.
The top highlight of the practice came when Dent rejected a screen, disposed of Perry with a behind-the-back dribble, tucked the ball, and finished in the lane with a nifty floater.
“His ability to break down defenses is one of the highest levels I’ve ever seen,” forward Tyler Bilodeau said.
Jamar Brown, Steven Jamerson II, Xavier Booker Jr. and Anthony Peoples Jr. round out UCLA’s transfer class.
Brown is a fifth-year senior who played two seasons at the junior college level before transferring to the University of Missouri-Kansas City for another two years. He’s an elite rebounder for his position, averaging 6.7 per game last year, and a smooth shooter. He hit a trio of catch-and-shoot 3-point shots during Tuesday’s practice.
Jamerson and Booker guarded one another in the post for the majority of practice and will likely split minutes at center. Cronin referred to Jamerson as the steal of the portal as he flew under the radar during his three seasons at UC San Diego.
“He can screen, he can defend, he can rebound,” Cronin said.
That might be all Cronin needs from Jamerson with the amount of offensive talent UCLA has this season.
Booker has the greatest variety of outcomes of anyone on the roster. He came to UCLA after struggling for two seasons at Michigan State. Cronin is trying to unlock his untapped potential as a center who primarily plays in the paint, as his game was perimeter-based with the Spartans. Growing pains are expected and were present Tuesday as his post seals were often weak and led to stolen entry passes.
Dent is the straw that stirs the drink, the sun that the Bruins revolve around. But the planets that orbit him are the returning players – three of whom will certainly start alongside him, and should complement his dynamic playstyle.
Clark, a senior, will empower Dent to be himself.
“Skyy is a great shooter,” Dent said. “He’s a great pick-and-roll player. We can both play off the ball. So I think we’re gonna complement each other very well.”
Throughout summer practices, Cronin has rarely paired Dent and Clark, forcing them to guard one another as he already trusts their chemistry. Those reps have led Dent to say Clark is one of the best on-ball defenders he’s faced.
In fact, every UCLA player, Cronin said, has volunteered to guard Dent at one time in hopes of challenging themselves and improving their defense.
Eric Dailey Jr. has made the greatest leap when it comes to defense. He said that “he’s 100%” after dealing with knee pain throughout last season, and because of his improved health, is able to guard all positions. Dailey played on Dent’s team throughout Tuesday’s practice and benefitted from the space he created, cutting off the ball and shooting 5 for 6 from behind the arc, showcasing an improved outside touch.
“I’ve just been watching shooters shoot the ball, their mechanics,” Dailey said about his offseason, “just taking those little things and implementing them myself.”
After starting at the four last year, Dailey will play the three this season – which he called his natural position. The same goes for Bilodeau, who will shift down to the four after frequently playing small-ball five last year. Bilodeau led UCLA in scoring last season and is the only returning All-Conference selection.
Of the returners, Perry is the X-factor as the sophomore will likely be the first player off the bench and play on and off the ball.
Cronin has made one Final Four appearance and a pair of Sweet Sixteens at UCLA. He achieved that success by molding freshmen into refined seniors. But within his rather short tenure in Westwood, the college basketball landscape has shifted. That formula is no longer successful, and Cronin has adapted. This UCLA team, and its high ceiling, exemplifies that.
“Everything’s a one-year approach,” Cronin said. “So if you’re trying to win a title, if you’re adding players, you’re going to add the oldest, smartest, best players you can.”
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