Recruiting is going to play a big part in UCLA basketball coach Mick Cronin’s success, so what should he do to get the ball rolling?
Mick Cronin stated that it is very likely that Moses Brown will enter the NBA Draft and forgo his eligibility with the UCLA basketball team. Whether that is a good decision or not, it puts UCLA in a position where they have to address the makeup of the roster.
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First off, this opens up a scholarship for the upcoming season, so Cronin can now add another player for next season, if he so chooses. The question is, who should he go after?
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The obvious answer is 4-star shooting guard Cassius Stanley who has been high on the Bruins for a while. The Sierra Canyon product has had UCLA, USC, and Oregon as his top choices, but recently added Duke. According to 247Sports.com, Stanley has the Blue Devils as his favorite, and if that is the case, Cronin should try to make a late push for the talented SG who is expected to make his decision soon.
If things don’t work out for Stanley, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The Bruins have plenty of shooting guards on the roster, so if they can’t land another, then they need to focus their efforts on another position that is in desperate need of depth.
Jaylen Hands recently declared for the draft and he is expected to stay in, leaving UCLA with only one point guard. Tyger Campbell will lead this team next season, but there is a big concern about his health as he missed all of the 2018-19 season with an ACL injury. Though he should be good to go this fall, he is going to take on a heavy load as the only PG on the team. Though the 2019 recruiting pool is drying up, trying to land another floor general will help UCLA’s depth for next season and beyond
And what about the now vacant spot at center? If Stanley and a PG are not available, it would not hurt to go after another big man. Even though UCLA is deep in the front court, another center or power forward would help the Bruins, especially if they are defensive minded, which would suit Cronin’s style of play.
If Cronin wants to bring in somebody, he has to act fast, but it is not urgent. If anything it saves a scholarship for the following recruiting cycle which will give Cronin room to work with his first full class at UCLA.