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Friday night, UCLA’s season ended with a Sweet Sixteen loss after North Carolina’s Caleb Love went nuclear during the second half. While it was an up-and-down season for the Bruins, Mick Cronin continues to build the program into one filled with talent and a base of toughness.
Now the eyes of UCLA nation will look to the future. Who will the Bruins be saying their final goodbyes to, who has decisions to make, who is back and what help is on the way for the 2022-23 season?
SAY GOODBYE TO….
Here’s where things get kind of complicated. The Bruins have four seniors in Jules Bernard, Cody Riley, Myles Johnson and David Singleton. If they want to, NCAA rules would allow each of them to return for an extra season. This is going to have to be sorted out over the next month or so but as things stand it sounds like Bernard and Riley are most likely going to move on.
A four-star prospect, Bernard had a solid four-year career and will leave Westwood having scored nearly 1,200 points and having grabbed over 500 rebounds. Like Bernard, Riley is a former four-star prospect and provided UCLA with over 900 points and 500 rebounds during his career as a burly interior player.
Should he choose to be back, Singleton will provide a lot of value as an experienced reserve who is a sniper from deep. A transfer from Rutgers, Johnson’s rebounding and rim protection will be valuable as they work in a very talented big freshman.
DECISIONS TO MAKE….
Three Bruins would appear to have NBA decisions to make. jaime jaquez, Johnny Juzang and peyton watson entered the season with expectations that it would be their last in a UCLA uniform – and only one in Watson’s case.
The team’s second leading scorer and leading rebounder as a junior, Jaquez is as tough as they come and really embraces the competitive spirit that Cronin wants in his program. He can post and is tough from the mid-range, but he’s not a tremendous three-point shooter. He will surely put his name into the Draft, but unless he gets some surprising feedback, he is looking like a guy who is a late second rounder. Will that be enough for him to pass on his senior year and potential NIL opportunities?
Headed into the season, Juzang looked to be a lock to leave after flirting with the Draft in 2021. Juzang led the Bruins in scoring, but his stock hasn’t taken off as anticipated. Some good workouts could change things, but if he leaves now, he’s taking a big risk based on feedback NBA personnel have given 247Sports.
Finally, there is Watson. A five-star prospect, he was projected as a lottery pick. NBA teams seem to be willing to forgive a poor freshman season from a highly sought-after prospect. But, just how high will they be willing to take Watson after he played under 13 minutes and shot just 32.2% from the field?
WELCOME BACK….
Tyger Campbell may not be the most exciting floor general ever, but man has he been steady and productive. He makes open shots, takes tremendous care of the ball and is a rock the Bruins can rely on. wing Jaylen Clark took a big step forward as a sophomore and has a chance to develop into one of the top defenders and slashers in the Pac 12 next season.
After redshirting in 2021-22, it will be interesting to see what former four-star prospects Will McClendon and Mac Etienne can bring to the table.
SAY HELLO TO….
The Bruins are excited to welcome a top 10 recruiting class with open arms. Guard Amari Bailey and big man Adam Bona are both five-star prospects who earned McDonald’s All-American Game invites. Rounding out the class, combo guard Dylan Andrews is a top 40 prospect himself.
There is a lot of excitement around Bailey. He’ll add an element of athleticism and ability to create off the dribble that is currently missing. Rugged and freakishly athletic, Bona is a high flying, alley oop finishing and shot blocking post player who will provide a significant upgrade to the explosion level of UCLA’s post rotation.
A scorer by nature, Andrews can attack off the dribble or run a team. He also projects as a high-level on the ball defender.
Depending on who stays and goes, UCLA could need to address needs in the transfer portal –perhaps another wing athlete or a power forward with some skill – but that will have to be addressed once Cronin and his staff are sure who they have coming back.
