Go Joe Bruin takes a look at three UCLA basketball players that will have a breakout seasons in 2019-20.
The UCLA basketball team is in transition, but luckily they have a lot of talent to help them bridge the gap.
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Despite finishing 17-16 last year, the Bruins return a lot of skilled players which head coach Mick Cronin will be able to utilize and in the process, he will bring out the best in each of them. With that being said, here are three UCLA basketball players that should have a breakout season in 2019-20 under his guidance.
David Singleton
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Singleton became a silent assassin last season. He gave the Bruin solid minutes at the beginning of the season, but towards the end, he was one of UCLA‘s go-to players, especially from the three-point line. Though Singleton was forced to play point guard for part of the season as the Bruins were thin at that spot, he really flourished when he was at the wing.
Not only did he have a second-best three-point shooting percentage in the Pac-12, but he was the one Bruin you can guarantee would hustle on every single play. With that being said, he should continue to grow and develop in his second year with the program and should have a really good breakout year.
Jalen Hill
Hill was another freshman that we started to see more production from as the season went on. Though he played back up to Moses Brown at center (who is now in the NBA summer league), Hill showed that he could be a threat underneath the basket. He was pretty reliable scoring, but what really stood out was his defensive play. If he can continue to develop that part of his game, which seems like it will happen under Cronin, he will have a stellar 2019–20 season.
Jaime Jaquez
I know Jaquez has yet to play a single minute of college basketball, but his potential is very high. Jaquez gives the Bruins another wingman that has no problem getting his hands dirty in the paint. His raw talent and ability to get the ball in the basket is something the Bruins will need, and since he is a freshman, he just has nowhere to go but up.
Jaquez has will be coming off the bench, but whenever he’s on the floor he will give UCLA some some quality minutes. That will aid him in having a breakout season of his own, and possibly be among the Pac-12 best freshman next season.