October has Mick Cronin in a good mood, and UCLA’s coach isn’t hiding why.
He’s joking about his dog’s play toys, taking shots at destination weddings, and even weighing in on Colin Jost and Scarlett Johansson. The reason for the lighter tone is sitting in his gym: a roster that, in his view, fits the way he wants the Bruins to play.
“I look forward to coaching these guys every day,” Cronin said.
UCLA has rebuilt around youth, energy and a tougher defensive identity. The Bruins kept all of their eligible returners and layered in transfers and freshmen, reshaping the group after a season in which they finished 24-12, lost to UConn in the Round of 32 and showed clear issues on the glass and at the defensive end. UCLA ranked 49th in KenPom’s defensive rating and 228th in overall rebound-percentage in 2025-26, and those shortcomings were addressed over the offseason.
The biggest losses are obvious. Tyler Bilodeau, the 6-foot-9 forward who led UCLA with 17.6 points per game, is gone after graduating and being selected 43rd overall in the NBA draft by the Brooklyn Nets. He missed both NCAA Tournament games with a knee injury.
Donovan Dent also moved on, though his path was far less straightforward. The 6-foot-2 guard led the Bruins with 7.6 assists per game.
He initially announced his retirement from basketball rather than enter the NBA draft, then became a plaintiff in state court after the NCAA instituted the age-based eligibility model. Dent was granted eligibility, unretired and transferred to LSU.
Skyy Clark is gone as well. The 6-foot-3 guard shot 43% from 3-point range and missed 10 regular-season games because of a hamstring injury. Like Dent, he received a fifth year of eligibility and transferred to LSU.
That leaves Trent Perry as one of the key returning pieces. The 6-foot-4 guard is back for his junior season after averaging 12.6 points per game and stepping up when Clark was sidelined. With both Clark and Dent gone, Perry is now positioned to take on the lead-guard role.
Eric Dailey Jr. returns too, and the 6-foot-8 wing enters his senior year with a different kind of challenge. He was UCLA’s second-leading scorer as a sophomore, but his efficiency dipped last season as he expanded his game as a rebounder and defender. Now the Bruins are hoping those pieces come together at the same time.
Then there’s Xavier Booker, who might end up being the swing piece. The 6-foot-11 senior hit 43.3% of his 3s and averaged 1.2 blocks per game in just 20 minutes a night last season. If he can keep that energy level up while taking on a bigger workload, improving his rebounding and shot-blocking could matter a lot for UCLA.
The newcomers give the roster a different edge.
Nikola Kusturica arrived as the headliner. The 6-foot-9 Serbian wing was starring at the FIBA U17 World Cup while UCLA was recruiting him, putting up 25 points, seven rebounds and three assists per game across seven games. He scored 37 in a 107-81 loss to Team USA in the final, and he also won Defensive MVP of the tournament.
Azavier Robinson brings another defensive jolt. The 6-foot-2 guard transferred from Butler as a sophomore and had his freshman season interrupted by a midseason wrist injury. Healthy again, he’s already showing the kind of hustle that shows up everywhere on the floor.
Filip Jovic adds size and versatility. The 6-foot-8 sophomore transferred from Auburn after coming over from Serbia, and Cronin called him a “ferocious player.” Jovic rebounds with positioning, strength and hands, runs the floor and can switch onto guards.
Joe Philon, a 6-foot-8 wing from Tampa Bay, is the four-star freshman Cronin labeled “the steal of the recruiting class.” His length and athleticism are the kind you can’t coach, and UCLA expects him to use both to bother opponents on defense.
Jaylen Petty rounds out the group. The 6-foot-1 sophomore guard transferred from Texas Tech and brings a different kind of punch, one that shows up on offense. Over his last 15 games last season, he averaged 11 points and shot 39% from 3-point range.
In Other News...
UCLA Is Still Unbeaten But One Concern Is Getting Harder To Ignore
UCLA kept rolling with an 8-0 start after handling Nevada, and the win again came with the defense setting the tone. The front seven was disruptive throughout, with Sahir West and Aiden Gobaira each finishing with 1.5 sacks and multiple tackles for loss, while the secondary kept turning pressure into possessions. Scooter Jacksons interception helped spark a takeaway-heavy night for a unit that has become the Bruins most reliable edge.
The concern, though, is that the offense still did not look completely settled even with Ty Dieffenbach throwing for 178 yards and two touchdowns. His numbers were good enough to help secure another victory, but the overall performance was uneven enough to leave room for questions as the schedule gets tougher. For a team that keeps finding ways to win, UCLA is also showing the kind of offensive inconsistency that can become harder to brush aside later on. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Just Sent A Strong Message Before Minnesota
UCLAs defense wasted no time setting the tone against Nevada, turning an early game into a one-sided afternoon and giving the Bruins a clean run-up to Minnesota. The result was a shutout built on pressure, discipline and a secondary that kept everything in front of it while the offense did enough to put the game out of reach.
The bigger picture for UCLA is what came with the scoreboard control. Nevada managed only 111 passing yards and 65 on the ground, and the Bruins kept the Wolf Pack off the board entirely while rolling to a 27-0 finish. With Minnesota next, UCLA heads into that matchup carrying a reminder that its defense can travel, clamp down and make life miserable when it is locked in. [Read more 🡒]
UCLAs Defense Is Changing What November Could Mean For The Bruins
Through the first eight games of the season, UCLAs defense has started to look like the kind of unit that can change the shape of a month, not just a game. Under Bob Chesney, the Bruins have made noticeable strides on that side of the ball, and the recent win over Nevada was another sign of it. The group was active, disruptive and sturdy enough to give the offense room to breathe, with Sahir West, Aiden Gobaira and Trent Hendrick among the players helping set the tone.
The encouraging part for UCLA is that this feels less like a one-week spike and more like a foundation taking hold, even if Chesney has been clear that there is still work to do. The challenge now is whether that progress can travel with the Bruins into a tougher stretch ahead, where the margin for defensive slipups gets a lot smaller. If November is going to mean something for this team, the next few games will have to show that the improvement was real and not just a good afternoon in Reno. [Read more 🡒]