UCLA Basketball: The Bruins Will Be Thin Starting the Season

The UCLA Basketball team has two injuries heading into the season which has further thinned out their depth.

Yesterday, the UCLA Basketball team found out they will be without freshman center Ike Anigbogu for the beginning of the season due to a meniscus tear. It is estimated he will be out 4-6 weeks and could miss the first three games of the season.

Over the summer, the Bruins found out that sophomore guard Prince Ali tore his meniscus and could be out until early December.

That’s not all. UCLA also lost three other players since the end of last season: Noah Allen (transfer), Kobe Paras (academically ineligible) and Jonah Bolden (Australian Pro League).

At one point, the Bruins potentially had 14 scholarship level players set to play this season. With the season approaching and the Bruins playing an exhibition game next week against Master’s University at Pauley Pavilion, UCLA is now down to 9 scholarship players available for start of the season.

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So how will the Bruins’ lineup look as they enter 2016-17?

The projected starting lineup does not seem to be affected. The most logical lineup for Head Coach Steve Alford could be: PG Lonzo Ball, SG Bryce Alford, SF Isaac Hamilton, PF T.J. Leaf and C Thomas Welsh.

Alford now has to figure out how to rotate in PG Aaron Holiday, PF Gyorgy Goloman, SF/PF Alex Olesinski and C Ikenna Okwarabizie.

Olesinski and Okwarabizie were not expected to contribute a lot this season, but might be called upon due to the rash of injuries.

Holiday is expected to rack up a lot of minutes this season, though he should see a lot of time off the bench replacing Ball.

The unknown here is Goloman. Last season he sustained an injury that sidetracked his development. Though he is healthy this year, it is not known how much of an impact he will have.

Next: Looking at the UCLA Basketball Scholarship Chart and Potential Depth

There is no doubt the starting five will be explosive, but the support will be thin. At least until Ali and Anigbogu return from their injuries.