UCLA enters year eight under Mick Cronin with a roster that could stack up as the best the Bruins have had in a long time, but the real intrigue isn’t about who starts. It’s about who does what once the ball is tipped.
That uncertainty begins in the frontcourt with Filip Jovic, a player who seems ready to matter in a major way even if his exact job is still being sorted out. At 6-foot-8, Jovic would be a smaller option at center behind starter Xavier Booker, but his value isn’t tied to one spot. He has the kind of skill set that can be deployed across the front line.
CBS Sports college basketball insider Jon Rothstein visited a UCLA practice and came away noting the excitement around the Auburn transfer. “Palpable Buzz at UCLA surrounding Auburn transfer Filip Jovic.
Was OUT today due to a concussion, but the staff views him as a sixth starter. Mick Cronin said he reminds him of Justin Jackson, who he coached at Cincinnati,” Rothstein wrote on X.
That kind of flexibility matters, especially with the perimeter expected to carry most of the scoring load this season. Jovic looks like the sort of piece Cronin can slide between the four and the five depending on need, giving UCLA another lever to pull in the frontcourt.
Still, the biggest name in the mix is Nikola Kusturica. The Serbian standout could be in line to spend at least two seasons at UCLA, which means this year may be the beginning of his rise rather than the full version of it. Even so, he has the tools to become the Bruins’ best defender, most dangerous scorer and top passer all at once.
That last part is especially important for a team that lost Donovan Dent, one of the nation’s better distributors. Kusturica gives UCLA the kind of passing ability that can help replace that production while also influencing games in nearly every area.
The other question hovering over the roster is who handles the ball. Jaylen Petty does bring point guard experience from Texas Tech, and even though his role there was limited, it still gives UCLA something useful. But the cleaner answer appears to be Trent Perry.
Perry spent last season alongside Donovan Dent, and the expectation is that he’s ready to take on the responsibility of leading the offense. For this group, that may be the most natural way to make everything fit.
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UCLA's Fast Start Has Created One Big Bruins Debate
UCLAs unbeaten start has turned the early fall into something of a surprise story, with Bob Chesneys team racing out to a 4-0 record and climbing to No. 4 in the latest CBS Sports Big Ten Power Rankings. The Bruins have done it with a ground game that has been impossible to ignore, averaging 281.5 rushing yards per game behind Wayne Knight, Jaivian Thomas and Anthony Woods, and giving the offense a clear identity through the first month.
Still, the questions around this team have not gone away because of how productive the offense has been. UCLA has given up notable points in some games, leaving the bigger debate centered on whether the Bruins are built to keep this pace when the schedule stiffens, and the Oct. 10 game against Oregon is shaping up as the first real measuring stick for how serious this start might be. [Read more 🡒]
UCLAs Fast Start Is Raising A Bigger Question About Its Backfield
UCLAs early-season surge has brought more than just optimism about the record. It has also put a spotlight on how the Bruins are handling their backfield, where head coach Bob Chesney has leaned into a committee approach to keep the room fresh, healthy and effective over the grind of a season.
Wayne Knight, Anthony Woods and Jaivian Thomas have each carved out roles, giving UCLA different looks while spreading the workload among three backs with different skill sets. Through the first four weeks, the rotation has helped the group stay productive without overtaxing any one player, and now the bigger question is how long that balance can hold as the schedule gets tougher. [Read more 🡒]
Mick Cronin Finally Has The UCLA Roster Hes Been Missing
Mick Cronin enters his eighth year at UCLA with something he has not always had in Westwood: a roster that looks built with real flexibility. The Bruins are bringing back Trent Perry, Eric Dailey Jr. and Xavier Booker, giving Cronin a veteran core to lean on as he tries to shape a group that can handle more than one style of play.
The additions only sharpen that picture. Jaylen Petty arrives from Texas Tech, Serbian newcomer Nikola Kusturica adds another layer to the mix, and Auburn transfer Filip Jovic is expected to step into a sixth-man role. With multiple players able to cover different spots, UCLA suddenly has the kind of versatile lineup construction Cronin has been chasing. [Read more 🡒]