Donovan Dent’s departure to LSU is a real loss for UCLA, but it doesn’t have to be the kind of blow that sends Mick Cronin’s offense scrambling.
Dent arrived in Westwood last season with a strong résumé, fresh off earning Mountain West Player of the Year honors at New Mexico after putting up 20.4 points and 6.4 assists per game. His scoring dipped with the Bruins, but his influence hardly did. He finished the year averaging 13.3 points and 7.6 assists while logging just over 34 minutes a night, and the ball lived in his hands enough to make him one of the country’s most effective creators.
That’s the part UCLA has to replace, and it won’t be simple. Dent’s 7.6 assists per game were central to how the Bruins functioned, and finding one player to absorb all of that playmaking is a tough ask.
But Cronin may not need a direct replacement. The 2026-27 roster looks built to spread that burden around instead of funneling everything through a single guard.
Trent Perry is set to take over as the primary point guard and lead facilitator, and UCLA has already seen what that can look like. In the Big Ten Semifinal against Purdue, with Dent off the floor, Perry put together a 15-point, nine-assist performance. If that becomes a regular thing, the Bruins should be in solid shape at the position.
Jaylen Petty gives UCLA another option. The Texas Tech transfer averaged 9.9 points per game as a freshman and shot 37% from 3-point range, and his role with the Bruins should be far bigger than it was in Lubbock. He brings another guard who can score and create, which changes the shape of the offense.
That’s the real point here: UCLA may not need one player to become Donovan Dent. It can lean on multiple guards, split the responsibility, and make defenses account for more than one threat.
That doesn’t make losing Dent a good thing. It just makes it manageable.
In Other News...
UCLA Fall Camp Is Creating A Roster Crunch Fans Should Watch
Fall camp has given UCLA plenty to sort through, and the most crowded decisions may be the ones unfolding in the backfield. The Bruins have multiple position battles going on, especially among the running backs, and the coaching staff still has not officially sorted out the depth chart behind Nico Iamaleava at quarterback. It is the kind of August competition that can sharpen a roster, but it also leaves several players waiting to find out where they fit.
For a team trying to build momentum, the real challenge may be keeping that competition from turning into attrition. When roles are unclear and snaps are hard to come by, some players inevitably start weighing whether their path is better elsewhere, and UCLA is not immune to that reality. Nothing has been confirmed on the transfer front, but with camp still running and the roster picture unsettled, the Bruins are carrying a layer of urgency that will linger until the decisions finally come into focus. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Fans Have A New 2027 Reason To Pay Attention This Week
Myles Bakers senior season at Sierra Canyon opened with the kind of all-around burst that reminds everyone why his name had been buzzing around Southern California recruiting circles. The defensive back, who had once been committed to UCLA before flipping to Cal, made an early statement with a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, a rushing score and a pick-six, giving Bruins fans one more reason to keep one eye on the 2027 class.
For UCLA, the timing makes the recruiting watch even more interesting, with the programs 2027 commitments and upcoming games now part of a week that already has plenty of attention around it. Bakers debut doesnt change where hes headed, but it does sharpen the backdrop for a Bruins fan base that will be tracking both the calendar and the local talent board closely from here. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Just Landed A Late Linebacker Boost That Could Matter Fast
UCLA picked up an unexpected linebacker addition late in camp when Trent Hendrick joined the program after being granted a fifth year of college eligibility through a temporary restraining order. The former James Madison standout brings four seasons of experience with him, including a 2025 Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year honor, and he was already on the field in practice without pads as the Bruins worked toward the season opener.
Head coach Bob Chesney said Hendrick has fit into the group quickly, pointing to his familiarity with the system and the leadership he can provide. For a defense still sorting through the final details before opening day, the timing matters, and UCLA appears to believe Hendrick can be ready to help right away. [Read more 🡒]