UCLA has spent the last three seasons coming up short of the standard that comes with blue-blood status.
Three years ago, the Bruins missed the NCAA Tournament entirely after finishing 16-17, a season UCLA fans would just as soon erase. The next two years under Mick Cronin ended the same way in March: back-to-back exits in the Round of 32, with the Bruins losing in second-round NCAA Tournament games both times.
Now there’s a different feel around this team heading into the 2026 season. The roster Cronin has put together looks stronger than anything UCLA has had in recent years, and it carries real promise to finally push the Bruins back to the Sweet 16 for the first time since the 2022-23 season.
A big part of that optimism starts in the backcourt, where Trent Perry is set to take over as the full-time point guard. It’s a new job for him, and not one he has a ton of experience in.
With Donovan Dent gone, Perry is being asked to handle the ball, direct the offense and take on the leadership burden that comes with running the show. The good news for UCLA is that he won’t be doing it alone.
Jaylen Petty arrives as a transfer guard who should bring immediate punch on offense. He has the kind of scoring profile that can change a game quickly, with range from the outside and the ability to put pressure on the rim. Paired with Perry, he gives UCLA a backcourt that can do more than just keep things organized.
Then there’s the Serbian standout, Kusturica, who may need a little time to get adjusted to college basketball. Even so, the talent is obvious.
He looks like the player who can drive this Bruins team on both sides of the floor. Offensively, he can score from nearly anywhere.
Defensively, he could wind up being UCLA’s best player on that end, which is exactly the kind of development Mick Cronin would love to see.
If Kusturica settles in quickly, UCLA has the look of a team that could be a real problem in the Big Ten.
There’s plenty to like about the direction of this roster, and Bruins fans have reason to be encouraged. Cronin may be heading into the season with his best group in years, and the expectation is clear: this is a team with postseason ambitions and the pieces to chase a breakthrough.
In Other News...
UCLA Camp Is Already Raising One Early Concern For Bruins Fans
A week into UCLA training camp, there are already signs that the Bruins are getting a better read on where some key pieces fit. Receiver Matthews has apparently been more involved in the offense, which is the kind of development the staff wants to see this time of year, while Wayne Knight continues to look like a dependable option in the backfield. There is enough positive momentum in those spots to suggest the offense is sorting itself out in a few important areas.
The concern, at least for now, is on the other side of the ball. Malik Hartford appears to be trending in the wrong direction, and the bigger worry is whether UCLA's defensive front line will be able to hold up against the run when the season starts for real. Training camp is designed to surface problems before they become full-blown issues, and this one already looks like it could stick around for a while. [Read more 🡒]
Mick Cronin Just Set A Standard This UCLA Roster Must Meet
Mick Cronin is once again pushing UCLA toward the kind of identity he believes travel well in March. The Bruins were solid enough last season to be above average on both ends, but Cronin made it clear that is not the bar in Westwood, where he wants this group to live in the top 10 nationally on offense and defense. It is the sort of standard that turns every practice, every rotation decision and every matchup into a test of whether this roster can match the coachs expectations.
The harder part, at least right now, is on the defensive end, where UCLA does not appear to have a player with the same kind of back-line insurance Adem Bona provided. Cronin sees that type of "mistake eraser" as a necessity if the Bruins are going to make a real postseason run, and finding out who can fill that role may end up shaping the season as much as any scoring answer. Until someone proves capable of doing it, the gap between being good and being built for March will remain the most important storyline around this team. [Read more 🡒]
UCLAs Backfield Battle Could Finally Fix A Longstanding Problem
UCLA is heading into the season with a clear push to lean harder on the ground game under coach Bob Chesney, and the backfield looks like the part of the roster most likely to make that plan work. Transfer Wayne Knight joins a group that already includes returning backs Anthony Woods and Jaivian Thomas, giving the Bruins a deeper and more varied set of options than they have had in recent years.
For a program that has too often struggled to get much going on the ground, the chance to finally build a reliable rushing attack matters well beyond one position battle. Chesney has made it plain that surviving the season at running back takes more than one or two capable options, and UCLAs challenge now is turning that depth into something durable enough to hold up when injuries, fatigue and the grind of the schedule set in. [Read more 🡒]