With the UCLA Basketball team losing out on two players for the 2016-17 season, we look at what the projected depth chart could be for the upcoming season.
After the end of the 2015-16 season, despite a losing record, things were looking up for the UCLA Basketball team as they would be returning the core of their roster as well as adding four stellar in-coming freshmen.
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With Head Coach Steve Alford doing well on the recruiting trail, the Bruins were blessed with so many players, that they had one more scholarship player than scholarships available.
That problem has been solved as UCLA had lost guard Noah Allen who transferred to Hawaii after the season, and just this week, the Bruins found out that they will be with out incoming freshman and Filipino superstar Kobe Paras due to academic concerns.
So now UCLA has 12 players on scholarship which means more time on the court for other players, but how exactly will that shape out to be? Let us first look at what could be a potential depth chart:
| Point Guard | Shooting Guard | Small Forward | Power Forward | Center |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lonzo Ball | Bryce Alford | Isaac Hamilton | T.J. Leaf | Thomas Welsh |
| Aaron Holiday | Prince Ali | Jonah Bolden | Gyorgy Goloman | Ike Anigbogu |
| Alex Olesinski | Ikenna Okwarabizie |
With the Bruins losing two guards, they are back to a similar problem they have had the last two seasons: UCLA is deep with their big men, but only has five players to work the backcourt.
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Still, that is more than they have had in Head Coach Steve Alford‘s tenure. Additionally, this could be the most talented group of guards he has had since he was hired.
The only thing he has to worry about now is how to keep balance with seven big men. Though he has 12 players at his disposal, there is a chance Alford will only use an 8-9 man rotation.
Being left out of most contests could be Olesinski and Okwarabizie. Goloman is another player that would normally get less time, but with the backup small and power forward spots needing to be tended to, we could see Bolden and Goloman being used interchangeably at these positions.
With summer practices starting, Alford has plenty of time to examine each of his players and put them in the position that best utilizes their skills. The best part about all this is that he will have freshman Lonzo Ball running the point and Ball is the kind of player that makes everyone else on the court better, which should help the rotation and elevate the overall play of the Bruins next season.
Next: Ranking the Bruins in the NBA Draft in the Last 10 Years
I know that many UCLA fans cannot wait for football season to start, but there are many like me who cannot wait for the start of basketball season! Go Bruins!