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UCLA Basketball: A look at the talent the next head coach will inherit

By Mike Regalado

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 09: UCLA Bruins mascot Joe Bruin poses on the court before the team's semifinal game of the Pac-12 basketball tournament against the Arizona Wildcats at T-Mobile Arena on March 9, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Wildcats won 78-67 in overtime. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 09: UCLA Bruins mascot Joe Bruin poses on the court before the team's semifinal game of the Pac-12 basketball tournament against the Arizona Wildcats at T-Mobile Arena on March 9, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Wildcats won 78-67 in overtime. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)
(Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images) /

The Veterans

Jaylen Hands (PG), Jr, 6’3, 180

Prince Ali (SG), R-Sr, 6’4, 195

Chris Smith (SF), Jr, 6’9, 210

As discussed previously, UCLA still needs one player to make his exit and the most likely candidate could be Hands if he decides to test the NBA Draft waters (again) and actually sticks with it.

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Still, if he decides to stay, he should thrive under the new coach (it’s better than staying in the same place with the old coach). If Hands continues to develop in the offseason, then he could be in the running to be the top PG in the Pac-12.

Though it took some time, Hands was able to take control of this team and make it his own. He still needs to work on ball control and getting more of the team involved, but for the most part, he can have UCLA competing for a conference title next season as the facilitator and one of the top scorers on the team.

Ali sat out the last few weeks of the season with an injury, limiting his progress with the team. He started the season with a few solid games but was inconsistent for the most part. Before his injury, he went through a bit of a scoring drought. Still, a competent coach should be able to get the most out of the soon-to-be senior who has a lot of experience with this team.

Smith is another youngster that has slowly developed during his time in Westwood. His length and athleticism is a big advantage, but he has to play with consistency, which should be easier to achieve heading into his third season with a coach that can have him reach his potential.