With recruiting picking up, the UCLA Basketball team has stocked the cupboard for the next season, meeting some important needs, but also creating new ones for the following season.
Recruiting has been a bit lopsided in recent years for UCLA Basketball Head Coach Steve Alford. He has been able to get big guys, while guards and small forwards have been few. To be honest, getting four big men in the 2014 recruiting class and zero guards did not help either.
Recruiting the point guard position has been a particularly glaring issue until the last two seasons. Until Aaron Holiday decided to come for the 2015-16 season, and Lonzo Ball the season after that, it seemed point guards did not see themselves with a lot of playing time with Bryce Alford in the mix.
But now we are in 2017 and things have really leveled off, especially with the 2017 recruiting class coming in next season.
UCLA Basketball Scholarship Chart
| Pos. | Year | Senior | Junior | Sophomore | Freshmen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PG | Aaron Holiday | Jaylen Hands | ||
| SG | Prince Ali (r) | LiAngelo Ball | ||
| SF | Alex Olesinski (r) | Kris Wilkes |
Chris SmithPF Gyorgy Goloman Cody Riley C Thomas Welsh
Ikenna Okwarabizie Ike AnigboguJalen Hill
(r) – redshirt
Next year’s class consists of 5* PG Jaylen Hands, 3* SG/SF LiAngelo Ball, 3* SF Chris Smith, 5* SF Kris Wilkes, 4* PF Cory Riley and 4* C Jalen Hill. So yeah, this a little better in terms of balancing out the recruiting class.
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Unfortunately the effects of that 2014 class are still being felt. Next year’s seniors are three big men.
Though Gyorgy Goloman and Ikenna Okwarabizie will not get a lot of minutes, losing them and returning starter Thomas Welsh is going to leave the Bruins with only three big men on the roster for next season, meaning that getting a power forward and/or center will be essential.
With Aaron Holiday and Jaylen Hands possibly leaving after next season, Alford is going to need a point guard. Alford has LaMelo Ball coming in 2019, but one will be needed the season before he arrives.
Prince Ali and LiAngelo Ball do not project to leave for the NBA after next season, so the shooting guard spot is set. One position that has really been overlooked is the small forward spot, but that was quickly resolved with Kris Wilkes and Chris Smith giving their pledge to the Bruins in the 2017 class.
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It is still early, but it is not likely that anymore of the players from last season will declare for the NBA. Transferring is another issue, though I do not foresee any players moving on in this fashion. Maybe Okwarabizie or Alex Olesinski because their playing time will be almost non-existant next year, but other than that, it seems the roster for next season is set.