UCLA Basketball: Mick Cronin is officially hired as the next Bruins coach

It has been announced that Cincinnati’s Mick Cronin has been hired to take over as the next head coach of the UCLA basketball team.

After missing out on their first three attempts in the last few weeks, the UCLA basketball program finally has their new head coach as Cincinnati’s Mick Cronin is heading to Westwood.

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Welcome to Westwood, Coach Cronin!

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With this hire, Cronin becomes the 14th head coach of the Bruins as he takes over for Steve Alford who was relieved of his duties back on December 31, 2018.

With the program falling on hard times in recent seasons under Alford, UCLA wanted to go in a different direction and turn to a coach that had both a solid coaching pedigree and was a solid recruiter. Though he was the fourth choice behind John Calipari, Jamie Dixon and Rick Barnes, Cronin fits both criteria. Additionally, he is a coach that stresses defense.

After striking out with Dixon last Friday (it has been reported that UCLA was unwilling to pay the $8 million buyout for the TCU coach) and Barnes on Monday, it was officially announced by UCLA that Cronin will be the next coach of the Bruins.

Cronin, 47, has built himself quite a foundation at Cincinnati over the last 13 years. Since moving to the American Athletci Conference six years ago, he led the Bearcats to two conference regular and tournament championships. Overall, he has a 365-170 (.670) record as a head coach.

Cronin takes over a program that finished 7th in the Pac-12 last season going 17-16, 9-9. Those numbers should rise considerably in Barnes’ first season.