Steve Alford, Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Well, it’s official—the 2013 college basketball recruiting cycle has come to a close. Tomorrow is the hard signing deadline, and earlier today No. 1 overall prospect Andrew Wiggins committed to the Kansas Jayhawks. With his pledge, every member of this year’s ESPN 100 has picked his destination, so it’s time to take a step back and survey the scene.

Not much has changed for UCLA, as first-year head coach Steve Alford‘s inherited class has been locked up for weeks. Aside from former commit Allerik Freeman opting out of his LOI last month, there hasn’t been much news on the recruitment front. The finalized class features three incoming freshmen, headlined by 4-star guard  Zach LaVine. The 6’2″ recruit from Bothell, Wash. is the only ESPN 100 athlete coming to Westwood in the fall, and was named Mr. Basketball for the State of Washington. With his incredible dunking prowess, LaVine should factor in for the Bruins sooner rather than later.

Depending on which recruiting service you subscribe to, LaVine’s position varies between shooting guard and point guard. For the Bruins, it would be ideal if he could play at the 1, which is easily the most uncertain position heading into next season. The graduation of All-Pac-12 performer Larry Drew II leaves UCLA with a gaping hole at the point, and LaVine is one potential option there—if only for a small role. The other potential points are rising sophomore Kyle Anderson (who is likely to start at PG), and another new addition in Bryce Alford.

In case it wasn’t clear already, Bryce is Coach Alford’s son. He was originally committed to New Mexico (his father’s former job), but flipped to the Bruins in the wake of Ben Howland‘s firing and Alford’s hiring. It was an unexpected bonus of the coaching change that could pay dividends for UCLA down the road.

Though he hasn’t gotten much attention on a national scale, Bryce is a 6’3″ SG with a nice outside stroke and basketball bloodlines. He has also exhibited some ability as a facilitator, which helped him earn Mr. Basketball honors in New Mexico. Who better to hone his game than the man that raised him and taught him the sport? If Bryce can develop into a viable choice at point guard, it would be a major boon to UCLA. But even if he’s just a career role player, his pick up was an important one for Steve’s transition into his new gig and overall depth.

The third and final signee joining the Bruins next season is Noah Allen, a 3-star small forward that could have a more immediate impact than some think. If you haven’t had a chance yet, check out this kid’s highlight reel. It’s not what you would expect from a recruit with no photo on his recruitment pages.

At 6’2″ and 210 pounds, Allen can get up and throw down. His addition bolsters a roster that will be short on size for a second straight season. The Bruins welcome back center Tony Parker, David Wear and Travis Wear in the front court, but both Wear brothers will graduate at the end of the season. If Allen can provide UCLA with another source of scoring inside, it would take a lot of pressure off scorers like Anderson and Jordan Adams. Allen’s commitment also shores up some depth concerns, and opens up the competition for minutes.

All things considered, the Bruins seem to be in a good position for the 2013-14 season. The recruiting class—though not spectacular—brings in some needed bodies that will ease the strain on the starting rotation. The goal going forward for Coach Alford has to be player development and retention, as well as a reestablishment of local recruiting ties. Allen is the first California native to commit to UCLA as a freshman since Powell in 2011, which isn’t acceptable given the fertility of the L.A. area. Many accuse Howland for “burning bridges” in Southern California during his tenure. And whether or not that’s true, Alford needs to start rebuilding those connections immediately.

Norman Powell, Credit: Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports

With UCLA and Duke finalizing dates to play at Madison Square Garden next season, we will be treated to two powerhouse basketball programs going at it. Here’s the tweet from Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports that broke the big news.

Duke and UCLA are finalizing details for a game in late December at Madison Square Garden, per multiple sources. Date is still TBD.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 8, 2013

Wow, a Duke vs. UCLA game (which is likely slated for December) will be great for both programs. It’s also a way to put Steve Alford‘s name in an even bigger spotlight in his first season. I would like to see this game played at either Pauley Pavilion or Cameron Indoor Stadium, though that seems a stretch. Just imagine the chaos at either stadium—cheering and screaming for pretty much everything in between those lines. Unfortunately, that won’t happen.

This will be a gut-check for Alford’s squad. Can UCLA win a key non-conference neutral site game? Can they play up to their hype? Can they beat a great opponent and really cement their name in tournament talks? These questions will be answered in a matter of months.

More importantly, this Bruins vs. Blue Devils matchup will be for the players to come out and prove themselves on the biggest stage in sports—Madison Square Garden. The game will obviously not come easy, as UCLA will be dealing with basketball guru Mike Krzyzewski, who always puts together a great team every single year.

For UCLA to go across the country and play Duke  in NYC will obviously be a huge and challenging task. No one is better than Coach Krzyzewski, and UCLA is inexperienced. There are a lot of questions surrounding the Bruins coming into this season. But as always, I have faith that my young Bruins can pull it out. It will be one of those games where you have to force turnovers and get out in transition to open up the perimeter shooters because UCLA has players who are capable of putting up numbers from deep.

We’ll see when the dates are officially released, but for now, it looks like we’re going to see one hell of a game at MSG!

Go Bruins!

Kyle Anderson (5), Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

When I look at this roster, there’s no doubt that the Bruins have talent. The question is, will Coach Alford use it to his advantage? UCLA lost its core leader in LDII and its steady, yet lethal, scorer in Muhammad.

A scorer can always be replaced, not to insult Shabazz, but it’s difficult to find a point guard like LDII who can successfully run an offense, keep the locker room calm and hit shots in crunch time. Alford is bringing in his son, a 6’3″ guard who can play point, so he could help there. Bryce Alford isn’t athletic like Norman Powell or LDII, but boy he can shoot the lights out.

Coach Alford will have to make a difficult decision, whether to start incoming freshman Zach LaVine at the 3 and slide Norman Powell to the bench? Or bring LaVine off the bench in a Jamal Crawford type of roll?

A lineup that could be very intriguing would be the following:

Kyle Anderson (PG)

Jordan Adams (SG)

Norman Powell (SF)

Travis Wear (PF)

Tony Parker (C)

Now, this lineup will not be the best defensively, but they’ll be fun to watch. And when they get out in transition, they’ll be very fun to watch. Kyle Anderson is going to be extremely important to the Bruins. KA is plenty capable of running an offense, and he’s great at finding the open man. Powell can finish with the best of them, so it should benefit him having a 6’9″ point-forward who can handle the ball well. Tony Parker will need to anchor the defense, clogging the lane with his size. Because he’s big and not easy to move around, he could be a defensive force. If he can also crash the boards, that will only lead to easy transition buckets and will get UCLA second chance opportunities on offense too.

And I can’t forget about my man Jordan Adams—talk about a sharpshooter. All he needs is a little room and the shot is more than likely going in. Whenever he shoots, it’s a thing of beauty. When a team is hitting its outside shots, it extends the defense and can open up lanes to drive and get to the rim. Adams will be a key piece for UCLA next season, though his recovery from injury could hamper him somewhat.

Whatever the lineup may be, there’s no doubt this will be a fun season!

Steve Alford, Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

This Go Joe Bruin contributor is rooting for Steve Alford, which means a few things to me.

First, it means not getting caught up in creating artificial, unrealistic measuring sticks. One example of that would be tagging Alford with a demerit for not landing Rysheed Jordan. Landing Jordan would probably have been a great get in that he was the highest rated PG left on the board—a position the Bruins need a better answer for than “by committee.” That stated, Jordan was a recruit, not a commit. If he had committed to UCLA, and then bailed when Alford was hired, it’d be reasonable to criticize him (or at least his hire). However, that’s not the case, so it’s not realistic to slam Alford for a perceived miss on Jordan.

Rooting for Steve Alford also means honestly assessing his early decisions, like his choices for assistant coaches. Alford has brought in his own people to assist rather than retaining Ben Howland‘s staff. That’s not unusual. (I definitely applaud his retention of Bruins great Tyus Edney as Director of Operations.) Alford’s hires of Duane Broussard, Ed Schilling and David Grace bring an interesting mix of scouting, recruiting and connections, X’s and O’s, and coaching experience with them. It’ll be intriguing to watch how their efforts combine to, hopefully, produce the kind of basketball product fans expect at UCLA. Some have chosen already to openly attack Alford’s assistant choices, but it seems to me that doing so hints at a level of cynicism that goes beyond normal fan skepticism.

Rooting for Steve Alford certainly means moving on from his supposed past transgression in regards to his handling of the Pierre Pierce saga. Alford was recently browbeaten into apologizing for his actions in defense of his player over a decade ago at Iowa. That should be enough. He didn’t commit a crime. He was just politically incorrect in his zealous defense of his player. He formally apologized in the press. It’s time to move on.

Rooting for Alford definitely means taking a huge “chill pill” and seeing what the man can do as the UCLA head coach. Like a stock prospectus, past performance isn’t a guarantee of future results. Maybe Alford continues to underperform in the NCAA Tourney or maybe his Bruins begin a new era of tourney success. Who knows? What I do know is that attacking the man for his salary before he’s even had one season at the helm speaks of envy rather than genuine criticism.

Rooting for Steve Alford definitely means taking the healthy approach that his reign as the Bruins’ leader is a “clean slate.” He hasn’t failed to advance in the NCAA Tourney since coming to Westwood. He hasn’t had a single player transfer from UCLA. He hasn’t lost to anyone he shouldn’t have at Pauley Pavilion. So far, so good.

Finally, rooting for Steve Alford means tapping into some relentless optimism. He and his staff are respected as individual coaches with credible experience. He has retained the kids one could reasonably expect him to retain. He does bring renewed hope of locking down the California talent pool. He is perceived as a “players’ coach.” In this context, it’s patently unfair and short-sighted to spew vitriol his way when he hasn’t even coached one game and has done nothing to anyone associated with or that is a fan of the UCLA program. To the extent that some folks who call themselves fans of UCLA have gone, it is most certainly embarrassing. It sez here we should give Steve a chance.

Shabazz Muhammad, Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

With March Madness now behind us, many players are declaring their intentions for the next year of basketball. While it has been widely assumed that freshman phenom Shabazz Muhammad will leave UCLA for the NBA, the one person we haven’t heard from on the topic is…freshman phenom Shabazz Muhammad.

Sure, his old coach Ben Howland said he was leaving, and reports recently surfaced that his new coach, Steve Alford, has made the same assertion. However, those conclusions lack solid evidence, as we’ve yet to hear a concrete decision from Muhammad. That’s not to say they’re misguided in thinking that, but UCLA fans just want to know, is he staying or leaving? There may be no wrong decision for him now, as either choice could work out for the 20-year-old small forward, if the cards fall in his favor. With the draft declaration deadline fast approaching on April 28, let’s take a look at what’s weighing on Muhammad’s mind.

Why to Stay: The Bruins were ranked No. 13 in the preseason poll last year, and at times they played like it. With Muhammad alongside fellow freshman sharpshooter Jordan Adams, the Bruins had the highest scoring freshman tandem in the Pac-12, second only to Cal’s dynamic duo of Allen Crabbe and Justin Cobbs (both juniors).

Under Coach Alford, one can expect the offense to open up to better fit the athletic wings and versatile big men, possibly improving upon the offense that already led the Pac-12 in points with 74.7 per game. UCLA proved it’s the class of the conference when playing well, as seen in THREE victories over Arizona and a regular season conference title. But they can also give away some games, like those at Washington State and home against USC last year.

If Muhammad returns, every player but one would be coming back (albeit a big one in starting senior PG Larry Drew II), and that would really help Alford ease into his new job. Muhammad could grow into the prolific scorer we thought he could and dominate the college game, possibly boosting his draft stock even higher. If he stays, we may see the dangerous team that was picked by many to make some noise in the Big Dance before Adams’ injury in the Pac-12 Tournament. That’s what could drive Shabazz to stay in Westwood.

Shabazz Muhammad, Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Why to Go: Most experts have Shabazz solidly in the top 10 of the draft. It doesn’t get a whole lot better than that. The fame, the lights and, of course, the money are all calling. Every young basketball player dreams of being a lottery pick, and each could never live down knowing he passed up his shot. As possible as it is for Muhammad to play himself into a top-3 spot, he could also play his way out of the lottery if he returns and underperforms. Experts already question why he fell short of his high recruiting potential, so why not leave now and blame it on Howland’s defensive-minded approach?

And also, if he returns, the Bruins would be missing only one player from last season. But, as we mentioned, that would be none other than the starting point guard, the senior leader, the one who could get to the bucket at will and the one who could harass the opposing point guard to no end. And let’s not forget the 7.7 assists per game, and 2.98 assist-to-turnover ratio (good for 7th in the country) that LDII brought to the court in his one season with UCLA. We have yet to see how his loss will affect the Bruins, or if the new ball-handlers, whoever they may be, can handle the extra pressure. If the team lacks a facilitator, what good would it be for Shabazz to come back and see his numbers dip? Maybe the uncertainty is reason enough for him to call it quits.

Right now, it’s impossible to tell whether Shabazz will stay or go. Most signs point to his departure. He has yet to say anything contrary to the many people saying he’s leaving. He has barely been in contact with his new coach, and he didn’t show up to the first offseason practice. However, he hasn’t declared yet, so a shade of mystery remains.

Maybe he likes the idea of a second chance where he gets to retry his shot at college basketball. Or maybe he doesn’t like the bad taste of consecutive losses to end the season. At this point, the brain says he goes and the heart says he stays. But in reality, we know nothing—not quite yet.

Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Despite missing out on 2013 stud Rysheed Jordan this morning, the UCLA basketball team and first-year head coach Steve Alford have something to celebrate on the recruiting trail.

5-star SF Stanley Johnson, the No. 12 overall prospect in the 2014 class, announced a shortened list of schools via Twitter earlier today. The 6’6″, 200-pound junior hails from OC powerhouse Mater Dei, but also plays AAU ball for the storied Oakland Soldiers. Johnson is arguably (if not assuredly) the top recruit coming out of Southern California next year, so his cut list has been much anticipated.

Here are Johnson’s final seven per his Tweet this afternoon:

Arizona Kentucky Florida Oregon Duke Ucla USC Is my new list

— Stanley Johnson (@StanMan_41) April 11, 2013

The list isn’t too shocking at this point, as it features a number of West Coast programs and some of the biggest names back East. If his recruitment follows the script of most these days, initial hype and excitement will make way for what really matters–home and family. With that in mind, one could posit that UCLA, USC, Arizona and maybe Oregon would have a more realistic shot at landing Johnson.

But if there’s one program that could really give Johnson the hard sell, it’s UCLA. The Bruins obviously fulfill the location requirement, as the Westwood campus is only an hour drive from his high school, but they also have the highly tangible “need” factor.

As it stands now, UCLA only has four scholarship players in the frontcourt, and that includes Shabazz Muhammad and the Wear twins, all of whom will be gone by the time Johnson signs his papers. That leaves rising sophomore Tony Parker and incoming 3-star recruit Noah Allen as the only serious threats to Johnson’s playing time should he pick the Bruins.

Compare that to a team like Arizona, which has five talented young bigs and two incoming 5-star small forwards, and it’s clear the competition would be tougher in Tucson. If Johnson wants to see the floor for major minutes as a true freshman, he would be better served choosing UCLA.

Nonetheless, the Wildcats will throw the kitchen sink at Johnson, and the Bruins better be ready. According to a Tweet from Dinos Trigonis of Fullcourt Press, Arizona and UCLA are both expected to meet with Johnson on the Mater Dei campus this week. So it seems the pressure is already building in this race.

No matter how he does it, Coach Alford needs to get Johnson. It should be the No. 1 recruiting priority in 2014. UCLA has to end the trend of local talent bolting for Oregon, Arizona or the East. The best of the best in the Southland should want to be Bruins, and we can only hope Johnson is the next in line.

Keep it locked for more UCLA recruiting news and analysis from Go Joe Bruin, and make sure to follow us on Twitter for the latest coverage!

Rysheed Jordan (Photo from Jordan’s personal Twitter page)

The UCLA basketball team got some great news when Tony Parker decided to return to Westwood earlier this week, but the Bruins could be in for an even bigger headline on Thursday.

Elite point guard prospect Rysheed Jordan is expected to announce his commitment tomorrow, and UCLA is on the short list. The 4/5-star scorer from Philadelphia (Vaux Roberts) also lists the hometown Temple Owls and St. John’s among his finalists. Both of those programs should be considered major players for Jordan’s pledge, as one wins the proximity battle and the other is manned by an amazing recruiter in Red Storm coach Steve Lavin.

In fact, some sources indicate that Jordan is leaning towards the Johnnies, which shouldn’t come as a surprise for anyone who knows Coach Lavin. During his tenure as top dog at UCLA from 1996-2003, Lavin landed the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class twice, and coached eventual NBA players like Baron Davis, Trevor Ariza, Matt Barnes and Ryan Hollins. So if Jordan is looking for a coach with a proven ability to get guys to the league, Lavin appears to have the edge.

It’s also important to note the location of St. John’s, which is one of the few schools in the country that can rival UCLA’s destination factor. In addition to hooping under the bright lights at Madison Square Garden, SJU’s NYC campus is only two hours away from Philly. Picking the Red Storm would allow Jordan to get away from home for college, while still maintaining close enough ties with his family. For that reason, I think Lavin will ultimately lure the 6’4, 185-pound baller to the Big Apple.

But as I’m sure you’re all aware, I am no expert. Recruiting is a crazy game these days, and it’s best to expect the unexpected at all times. Jordan and his closest of kin are the only ones that really know what’s going on, so don’t count out the Owls or Bruins just yet.

One thing’s for sure though—whoever wins the battle for Jordan’s services is getting a top-flight talent.

Pegged the No. 5 PG in the 2013 class, Jordan has the innate ability to get in the lane and create, both for himself and others. He loves to get out and run, and is really at his best in transition. Given the grind-it-out offensive style of former UCLA head coach Ben Howland, many didn’t think Jordan to the Bruins was possible.

However, now that Steve Alford and his “up-tempo and team-oriented brand of basketball” is set to take over Pauley Pavilion, speculation has run rampant about Jordan coming to Westwood. The problem is, Alford’s style over the last 20 some years of coaching hasn’t been so explosive after all.

Contrary to what athletic director Dan Guerrero claimed in his many official statements and press releases, Alford has not been known as a free-minded offensive coach. Much like Howland, teams under Alford’s command have been intense defensively, relying on half-court offense to slow the game down. Based on what Jordan showed in high school, that’s not the style he excels at. And though Alford could probably mold him into a great player at UCLA, most recruits today aren’t looking to change their games too much in college.

Call me a pessimist, but I don’t see Jordan choosing the Bruins tomorrow. Both of his other options are far closer to home, and the usual draw of L.A. isn’t as relevant with New York and Philadelphia on the docket as well. I’ll be the first to cheer if I’m wrong, but it just doesn’t seem likely at this point. With basketball’s signing deadline approaching next week, UCLA’s class may be all sewn up.

Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports

This is great news for the Bruins. It was unclear whether Tony would stay, and there were rumors about him possibly transferring back home to Georgia. If you hover around his Twitter page, you’ll see he has tweeted some suspect things about UCLA and missing home. He even posted a picture of his suitcase on Instagram with the caption saying “packin up to get ready to go back to FakeWood.”

When seeing those things, one might think that he’s unhappy at UCLA and wants to go somewhere closer to home. I’m young, and I know what it’s like being faraway from home and being homesick. But kudos to Tony Parker for having the guts to stick around out West.

Last season, Parker got little to no burn under former head coach Ben Howland. Parker could have been a huge factor because he’s big and can clog up the lane as well. When you have a guy like that, it’s a necessity to use him to his fullest ability.

He did struggle with his weight, but that wasn’t as big of a factor as his foul issues were. But those kind of things can be managed by the right coach. This kid has so much potential, and it killed me to watch him pretty much rot on the bench while UCLA was getting manhandled in the paint.

With the Wear twins graduating at the end of next season, UCLA truly lacks a “big man” of the future. This is where Tony Parker immediately steps into the spotlight.

The Bruins are going to need T.P. to step up big time, and I’m fully confident that he’ll hold the fort down and protect the post. Good teams usually have a big man that’s capable of rebounding and locking down the lane. UCLA truly has a gem in the making in Tony Parker.

I’m almost completely certain that new Bruins head coach Steve Alford will put Parker in the starting lineup. That being said, the talented soon-to-be sophomore will need to work very hard this season to better his game.

But today the point remains—his return greatly improves UCLA’s chances next year.

Steve Alford, Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The hiring of Steve Alford to run the UCLA men’s basketball program has been met with mixed reactions. To those hoping for a marquee name like Stevens, Smart, Pitino or Donovan, the hiring was obviously disappointing.

The knocks on Alford, aside from the fact he isn’t any of the coaches listed above, are his lackluster results in the NCAA Tourney, his underachievement at Iowa (including controversy involving a player named Pierre Pierce), his teams’ offensive style and the fact he’s a Bob Knight disciple. Enough time has passed for us to take a rational look at these topics.

To be sure, Alford’s NCAA Tourney record is unspectacular at 5-7 overall, and 2-3 at New Mexico. His performance at Iowa was pretty pedestrian as he struggled to produce results where Lute Olson and Dr. Tom Davis had already demonstrated a coach could succeed. This a valid beef insofar as his teams’ performances in the tourney have been underwhelming. Look no further than the Lobos’ recent loss as a 3-seed to 14-seed Harvard in the 2013 Big Dance.

Still, there’s an underlying belief that Alford has gotten the maximum out of his teams, and that the cobbled together talent he puts on the floor gets exposed when March rolls around. This had better change at UCLA. He shouldn’t be fighting for scraps in regards to talent. If he can get the local talent pipeline fixed, he should have a good chance at succeeding in the tourney. Obviously a key metric, but we’re going to stipulate here that his teams’ past performances may not be prologue.

Alford’s record at Iowa was a modest 152-106. His tenure there was marked by teams that often struggled in the regular season, but flourished in the Big Ten Tourney. Alford never really found a rhythm with the Hawkeyes. He succeeded Dr. Davis who was the all-time victory leader in Iowa history. Alfords’ conservative style was substantially different from Davis’ full-court pressing, run-and gun-style, and never really caught on with the Iowa community. Alford struggled to recruit effectively due in part to his style, but also because he was perceived as an “Indiana guy.” Later in his tenure, Alford was also attacked for his handling of the Pierre Pierce situation, which also cut down on his popularity in the state. Recruiting being the life-blood of any program, Alford floundered. However, as we’ve discussed, recruiting should not be an issue for Alford at UCLA.

Alford’s biggest “error” in Iowa was in steadfastly believing in and supporting Pierce publicly. Perce was infamously accused of sexually assaulting a female Iowa student. The Hawkeye community decided that Pierce must be guilty, which he may well have been, but no proof of his guilt was ever actually realized in the case. Alford’s effort to stand by Pierce and to resolve the matter privately was roundly condemned. Pierce subsequently got into trouble again a couple of years later and was immediately kicked off the team. There was no doubt as to his guilt in that second instance, and Alford acted quickly and decidedly. Some have chosen to over blow this situation to dramatic proportions, but the reality is Alford was never found guilty of any wrong-doing.

Credit: USA Today Sports Images

Another issue is Alford’s teams’ offensive style, which has been raised as a concern since the hiring. Curiously, most of the teams in the NCAA Tourney play much the same style, though success settles questions of style for those expressing concern here. Incidentally, Alford is known as a players’ coach. It’s hard to imagine he’ll not open things up a bit for the higher-caliber athletes UCLA will most assuredly continue to attract. Alford has also shown a great sense of home-court advantage. His teams at UNM were a collective 98-16 at home, including two seasons where they went 18-1 in The Pit. It would seem that defense of Pauley Pavilion is about to be taken a lot more seriously under Alford.

Regarding Alford as a Bob Knight disciple, where does it say that’s a bad thing? Knight was a very successful college basketball coach who led the last perfect college team, won three national championships and set the pattern for motion offense and intelligent help man defense that many adhere to today. Knight is considered a great basketball mind. We’re not sure how being a disciple of that is bad. Knight was certainly tough on, and in some cases abusive of, his players. While Alford does have a record of being tough as a coach, there has been zero record of him being abusive. Knight, a fan of Pete Newell, is often cited as being dismissive of Coach Wooden’s legacy. Believe it or not, Coach Wooden had many detractors. What’s relevant here is that Steve Alford has not been among them. Alford is his own man.

The bottom line is this: Steve Alford is the new head coach at UCLA. There is enough grist in his past and pedigree for zealous hand-wringers to get their collective panties in a bunch, but the reality is he has some makings of being the right coach at the right time. What’s needed by fans at this point is maturity, patience and just a little bit of faith.

Steve Alford, Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Since taking the head coaching position at UCLA last week, Steve Alford has had plenty of business to attend to. From his awkward introductory press conference to a late push on the recruiting trail, the Bruins’ new leader has been busy at work in Westwood.

But one thing Alford won’t have to worry about is his inherited team, which has begun to take shape as returning players reaffirm their commitments to UCLA.

After the Bruins fizzled out of March Madness and Ben Howland was shown the door, speculation ran rampant about the fate of the current roster. It’s generally accepted that Shabazz Muhammad has played his last game at Pauley Pavilion, but the decisions of Kyle Anderson, Tony Parker, Norman Powell and even Jordan Adams were all left up for debate.

Best case scenario, Alford has a squad loaded with depth and future NBA talent. And worst case, he’s scrambling for JUCO transfers just to fill out the bench. For obvious reasons, one of his top priorities was to solidify the status of UCLA’s 2012-2013 roster.

To the surprise of many, Anderson was actually the first domino to fall—and he made up his mind before Alford was even announced as Howland’s successor. The freshman from Fairview, N.J. had reportedly been considering skipping town for the NBA, but a projected second-round pick wasn’t a high enough ceiling to warrant it. Instead, Anderson will return to Westwood for his sophomore season, refine his game and (more likely than not) head to the pros next year.

The news was enormous for UCLA, as Anderson was the team’s leading rebounder, but it was only a piece of the puzzle. In order for Alford to have a chance at immediate success, the Bruins would need to band together. Thankfully for Alford, they’ve chosen to  do just that.

Shortly after Alford was inked, several current players and some of Howland’s 2013 recruits re-upped their pledges to UCLA. Adams and Powell both clarified their intentions at Alford’s presser, while signees Noah Allen, Zach LaVine and Allerik Freeman all solidified their standings after speaking with the new coach.

Here’s the scoop on the three UCLA signees from Edward Lewis of Bruin Sports Report (Rivals):

Three-star #UCLA signee Noah Allen texted me saying he just spoke to Steve Alford and he’s “looking forward to playing for him” at UCLA.

— Edward Lewis (@EdwardLewisBSR) March 30, 2013

#UCLA four-star SG signee Zach LaVine texted me saying he just got off the phone with Steve Alford. He’s all in with the Bruins.

— Edward Lewis (@EdwardLewisBSR) March 31, 2013

Spoke with four-star #UCLA signee Allerik Freeman today. He reaffirmed to me that he’s 100 percent Bruin after Steve Alford’s hiring.

— Edward Lewis (@EdwardLewisBSR) April 4, 2013

The reaffirmation of those six players provides Alford with some stability as he prepares for his first season. There are certainly still roster deficiencies to cope with, primarily at center and point guard, but there’s at least some semblance of star power to work with in Adams and Anderson.

However, plenty of work is still left undone. A number of Bruins, including projected NBA lottery pick Muhammad, have yet to divulge their destinations. And while Shabazz seems a long shot to return to UCLA, the decision of fellow freshman Tony Parker has the potential to be huge for Alford and the Bruins.

According to reports, Parker has had mixed emotions regarding his future in Westwood and is still torn on the matter. Throughout the season, the 6’9″ center from Atlanta was stuck in Howland’s infamous doghouse, which left him disinterested on the bench and ineffective on the court. In January, Parker was asked whether or not he regretted coming to UCLA, to which he replied with a confounding “no comment.” Needless to say, no one would be surprised if Parker ends up transferring out, likely to a school closer to his home in Georgia.

I’m not here to pass judgment or make uninformed predictions about their choices, but Parker (and to a lesser extent Muhammad) could benefit from coming back to UCLA. Shabazz will be a high draft pick if he goes, but just the fact that he hasn’t officially declared yet is interesting. It wouldn’t kill him to take another year to develop his defense and display his toughness, which could in turn help his draft stock long term. For Parker, sticking with the Bruins would likely mean an increased role on the floor and in the huddle, as well as an opportunity to develop his skills under the brightest lights.

But even if Muhammad and Parker both take their leave, Alford has to be pleased with the group of players he is starting with at UCLA. Not only will he return three of the Bruins’ starters from this season, but he also adds a trio of freshmen eager to get on campus and compete for time. If he can lock up a couple more key additions or retentions, UCLA has a chance to contend for the Pac-12 in Alford’s first year.