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UCLA Basketball Recruiting: 5-star C Onyeka Okongwu chooses USC

By Mike Regalado

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 10: Head coach Steve Alford of the UCLA Bruins reacts during a semifinal game of the Pac-12 Basketball Tournament against the Arizona Wildcats at T-Mobile Arena on March 10, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 10: Head coach Steve Alford of the UCLA Bruins reacts during a semifinal game of the Pac-12 Basketball Tournament against the Arizona Wildcats at T-Mobile Arena on March 10, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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The UCLA basketball team needs to revaluate their recruiting plan for 2019 as top target, 5-star center Onyeka Okongwu, has chosen crosstown rival USC over the Bruins.

It is back to the drawing board for UCLA basketball head coach Steve Alford who lost out on talented big man Onyeka Okongwu (Chino Hills/Chino Hills, CA).

RELATED: UCLA basketball’s big recruiting day and needs for the future

On Monday, Okongwu announced that he has committed to the USC Trojans. Per 247Sports.com, the Chino Hills baller stated, “I picked USC because it’s close to home, they recruited me the hardest and I fell in love with the campus right when I got there.”

Okongwu had taken over at Chino Hills after the exit of the Ball Family, which helped put Chino Hills on the map. This past season, Okongwu led his school to a 24-11 record and a California Division I state championship. Needles to say, the Trojans got a good one, one that is going to be a handful for the Bruins when they meet up during the 2019-20 season.

So now Alford has to turn his attention to other big men in the 2019 class. The Bruins are still in good standing with three 5-star centers: Will Baker (Westlake/Austin, TX), Balsa Koprivica (Monteverde Academy/Monteverde, FL) and Armando Bacon (Trinity Episcopal/Richmond, VA). Currently, Baker is the heaviest lean towards UCLA.

Though the Bruins have to readjust, don’t feel to bad for them. Last week, UCLA landed two big time small forwards which propelled them to the #1 overall spot in the recruiting class rankings (Kentucky has since moved back in to the #1 spot since last week, the Bruins are currently #2).

Next: UCLA Basketball: The Top 10 Recruiting Classes Since 2000

As of now, UCLA has commitments from 4-star SG Grant Sherfield, 4-star SF Jaime Jaquez and 3-star SF Jake Kyman. They might have missed out on one top recruit, but there is plenty of time to grab another one before the 2019-20 season starts, so no pressure.