UCLA Basketball: 5 reasons Mick Cronin will have immediate success

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KY - FEBRUARY 25: Head coach Mick Cronin of the Cincinnati Bearcats reacts against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane during the first half at BB&T Arena on February 25, 2018 in Highland Heights, Kentucky. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, KY - FEBRUARY 25: Head coach Mick Cronin of the Cincinnati Bearcats reacts against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane during the first half at BB&T Arena on February 25, 2018 in Highland Heights, Kentucky. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
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(Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images)
(Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images)

3. Recruiting

There are certain college sports programs that recruit themselves. UCLA basketball is one of them. There were years in which both Ben Howland and Steve Alford were not successful, but they were still able to bring in top talent. So imagine what Cronin can do on the Westwood recruiting trail.

Though they are not his recruits, UCLA will bring in 4-star SF Jamie Jaquez and 3-star SF Jake Kyman this summer, both of whom reaffirmed their dedication to the Bruins just days after Alford was fired. This shows the power of UCLA.

The Southern California area alone has a huge pool of talent, but he will also be able to build bridges with several recruiting hot spots on the entire west coast. Additionally, with Cronin’s connections back east, he will be able to pull from several different regions.

Either way, Cronin should be able to get the players he desires starting with the 2020 recruiting class. The first order of business, get a point guard.

Schedule

Schedule