UCLA’s rotation may be taking shape before the season even gets rolling, and the first name to watch off the bench looks like Auburn transfer Filip Jovic.
The Bruins brought in plenty of new faces, including Serbian star Nikola Kusturica, Texas Tech’s Jaylen Petty and Butler’s Azavier Robinson, while also keeping important pieces from last season in Trent Perry, Eric Dailey and Xavier Booker. Those returning players are all expected to open the year in the starting lineup, which makes the bench conversation more interesting than the starting five.
From the outside, the first unit appears set with Kusturica, Perry, Petty, Dailey and Booker. That leaves the real question: who’s the first reserve to get the call?
Jovic makes the cleanest case. He may not bring the same offensive pop as some of UCLA’s top options, but he offers something that matters just as much - flexibility. At 6'8", he’s not a natural center, yet he has already shown he can handle those minutes when needed.
That matters because Booker is the biggest question mark in the starting group. Consistency and rebounding have been identified as potential concerns for the frontcourt, and Jovic gives Mick Cronin a way to manage that without overhauling the rotation.
There’s recent evidence he can handle the job. Last postseason, when center KeShawn Murphy didn’t suit up for Auburn, Jovic stepped in at the five during the NIT Tournament and held his own. He scored in double figures in most of those games and even led the team in scoring once.
He may be even better suited to the four, where his size and versatility can work more naturally. If UCLA needs a little more bulk, Sergej Macura is the other option, since he’s listed at 6'9".
For now, though, Jovic looks like the most useful piece off the bench. He can cover Booker, slide around the frontcourt and give Cronin some rotation flexibility. That could end up being a major factor for how far this team goes.
UCLA appears ready to lean into some small-ball looks this season, and with this much talent on the roster, that approach may be enough to offset the lack of height.
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