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UCLA Basketball: How Much Better Will the Bruins Be in 2016-17?

By Mike Regalado

Feb 14, 2016; Tempe, AZ, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Steve Alford looks on against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the first half at Wells-Fargo Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 14, 2016; Tempe, AZ, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Steve Alford looks on against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the first half at Wells-Fargo Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 18, 2015; Tempe, AZ, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Steve Alford (center) in the huddle with teammates against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Wells-Fargo Arena. The Sun Devils defeated the Bruins 68-66. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 18, 2015; Tempe, AZ, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Steve Alford (center) in the huddle with teammates against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Wells-Fargo Arena. The Sun Devils defeated the Bruins 68-66. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

Game Planning and Roster Management

One of the biggest issues UCLA had last season was the misuse of players in certain roles. The biggest concern was Alford at the one spot. As a shooting guard playing point, he often looked for his own shot first and limited chances for the offense to thrive.

The offense will be more explosive and the defense is still a question mark, but for the most part the Bruins should be in the hunt for the Pac-12 title and get back to the NCAA Tournament.

If UCLA is going to be effective at the point, Ball and Holiday should be the primary ball handlers while Alford, Ali and Hamilton move around the court creating offensive opportunities.

In the off-season, UCLA lost some of their depth at guard which means the head coach is going to have to figure out a balance as he now has more frontcourt players than backcourt players. It also does not help that Ali is not going be with the team until late November at the earliest. So until he returns, Steve Alford is going to have to find a way to make a taller lineup work.

And then there is the in-game adjustments. Alford knows what to expect from certain teams, especially when he gets into Pac-12 play. He is not only going to have to design better game plans, but he will also have to adjust on the fly when the Bruins are getting beat in certain aspects of their games.

Only time will tell if some of these more complex situations will bring about improvements, but other than that, this should be a much improved basketball team.

Next: Predicting the 2016-17 UCLA Basketball Season

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In summation, yes, this UCLA basketball team will be better, but they are not going to be elite. At least not yet. There are still things that Steve Alford has to work on but it is nothing that cannot be tweaked. The offense will be more explosive and the defense is still a question mark, but for the most part the Bruins should be in the hunt for the Pac-12 title and get back to the NCAA Tournament.