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UCLA Basketball: Next Season’s Depth Will Bring Multiple Lineups

By Mike Regalado

January 5, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Steve Alford signals to his players against the California Golden Bears during the first half at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
January 5, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Steve Alford signals to his players against the California Golden Bears during the first half at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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The UCLA Basketball team is reloading and will be deep next season, and because of that, we could see several very effective lineups.

I recently put out an article about the UCLA Basketball team titled, UCLA Basketball: Who is Staying, Who is Going and a Look at a Potential Depth Chart. In that article, I laid ut a projected depth chart that includes next season’s possible returners and the six-man freshmen class.

A lot of readers had responded with their own takes on who should start and who would be the backups and there were a lot of interesting suggestions. To be honest, it was something I was wondering about as well as the Bruins are going to be deep next season which could bring a lot of fun and interesting lineup combinations.

This is why I now present to you several potential lineups which should appease most UCLA Basketball fans, depending on what they want to see on display. So let us start…

Related Story: The UCLA Basketball All-Time Team

Note: the positions are listed by number and common name, and does not necessarily mean a player will take on a different position. You have to fill up the lineup somehow.

The Experienced Lineup

1-Point Guard 2-Shooting Guard 3-Small Forward 4-Power Forward 5-Center
 Aaron Holiday  Prince Ali  Gyorgy Goloman Ike Anigbogu Thomas Welsh

If you want a starting lineup full of experience, than this group is for you! It has everything you want, talent, consistency… and none of those pesky freshmen to get in your way. It will also be the only way GG gets in the game (sigh). But if young-ins are your thing, then I have the perfect lineup for you!

The Young Guns Lineup

1-Point Guard 2-Shooting Guard 3-Small Forward 4-Power Forward 5-Center
 Jaylen Hands LiAngelo Ball Kris Wilkes Cody Riley Jalen Hill

They are young, they are talented and they will take the nation by storm! Them and their Bruin counterparts. But do you understand what I mean about depth with this team? UCLA has enough players to “platoon”, but I’m not going to get into that again. This group will be good with Jaylen Hands and Kris Wilkes alone, but to have 5 efficient scorers, sprinkled in with some defense, is going to revolutionize things.

Mar 4, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Aaron Holiday (3) shoots against Washington State Cougars center Conor Clifford (42) in the second half at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 4, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Aaron Holiday (3) shoots against Washington State Cougars center Conor Clifford (42) in the second half at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /

The Shoot’em Up Lineup

1-Point Guard 2-Shooting Guard 3-Small Forward 4-Power Forward 5-Center
 Jaylen Hands Aaron Holiday  LiAngelo Ball Kris Wilkes Thomas Welsh

If the outside game is your thing, then I have just the lineup for you! With all of these hot shots in this lineup, you can guarantee it will be raining like crazy, so much you’ll think UCLA is from Seattle! UCLA has their top returning three-point shooter from last season, Holiday, and do not forget about Thomas Welsh who is 1.000 lifetime from the arc. Sure it was one shot, but its a better percentage than anyone else on the team has.

The All-Offense Break Neck Speed Lineup

1-Point Guard 2-Shooting Guard 3-Small Forward 4-Power Forward 5-Center
 Aaron Holiday Jaylen Hands Kris Wilkes Cody Riley Thomas Welsh

Holiday and Welsh have been here before, but now they have some young legs to help run the offense. I could also see Jalen Hill getting in the the lineup in place of Welsh, but until he goes 1.000 from downtown, this is all about the senior.