Basketball edition looking back on the 2022 season

The 2022 UCLA basketball season had high hopes. Core players Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Tyger Campbell both returned for their senior seasons. Adding in the growth of Jaylen Clark on the defensive end and paired with two five-star freshmen in Adem Bona and Amari Bailey. This was the most talented all-around team that Mick Cronin has had as head coach. One that would end with a lot of questions and what ifs due to injuries. The team had a top five defense in the nation and Clark was a Bonafide star on that end shutting guys down.

The team finished 31-6 overall and they went on a 12-game winning streak before a stunner against Arizona in the Pac-12 tournament. Jaquez Jr. was a Second-team All-American and Tyger Campbell continued to be one of the smartest players in the nation. The team was clicking on all cylinders after winning the Pac-12 regular season title. But then Bona and Clark would both suffer injuries going into the March tournament and it would come crashing down.

When you lose your top two defenders, it is very rare that good things are going to happen. The team would get the No. 2 seed in the West but most likely would’ve won the Pac-12 tournament if healthy. They would stroll through the first two rounds but then matchup with their kryptonite in Gonzaga. Jaquez Jr. and Drew Timme would have a battle for the ages but without Bona and Clark, UCLA struggled to stop Gonzaga. Leading to a late Julian Strawther 3-pointer and losing 79-76.

Jaquez Jr., Bailey, Clark and Campbell would all be gone after this season. Leaving the big “what if” for the team and if they were healthy. They were one of the best teams in the nation when healthy. But two injuries they could not overcome were their two best defenders. They didn’t go as far as the 2020 team, but they were more talented. Things would go downhill from there as there was so much talent lost after this season.