After beating Gonzaga and Arizona in December, the hopes for the UCLA Men’s basketball program were sky-high.
The meat of the conference play was about to begin. The team up until that point was elite defensively, and the momentum was visible. Fast-forward a few weeks, and many are now questioning whether Mick Cronin is the right fit to coach this team into the future.
UCLA (11-6) has lost four of its last five games. The defensive prowess it demonstrated earlier in the season appears to have been fool’s gold to an extent. UCLA has allowed at least 75 points in four of its last five games. The defensive end of the floor is where Cronin has built his reputation.
At this point, the warts on the team are being magnified, and they may be symptomatic of larger issues.
This is the second straight year that Cronin has revamped the roster. Last year, he brought in seven freshmen — four of which came from overseas. Of those four, only one remains on this year’s roster. To make up for the large numbers of guys who left, Cronin signed a six-man transfer class.
The returns have been very mixed. Cronin opted for familiarity — signing Kobe Johnson (USC) and Tyler Bilodeau (Oregon State) having seen them a bunch over the last few years. Bilodeau is leading the team in scoring as of Jan. 14 (14.4 PPG).
Having said that, he’s only averaging 5.1 rebounds a game and 1.4 assists per contest. He’s struggling immensely on the defensive end of the floor both protecting the rim and hedging in pick-and-roll situations. To be fair, he’s playing out of position at the five-spot. This is more so a Cronin decision in playing a natural power forward at the center spot.
Johnson has been underwhelming — averaging only 8.1 PPG on 33.3 percent from three-point range. Billed as perhaps the best defender in the country and on par with ex-Bruin Jaylen Clark, we’ve seen nothing of the sort. Dominick Harris (Loyola Marymount) and Will Kyle (South Dakota State) both averaged double-figures last season for their respective teams. This year, the two are averaging a combined 4.5 PPG.
Kyle in particular has struggled — averaging less than a block a game and a putrid 33.3 percent from the free-throw line. Harris is shooting 15.4 percent from the field this year after statistically being one of the best shooters in the country a year ago.
Skyy Clark (Louisville) is very evidently a Cronin favorite. He works hard, rarely turns the ball over, and pressures the ball well. At the same time, he’s averaging only 6.4 PPG and realistically has some limitations that effort cannot overcome. Clark should be playing in more of a reserve role. Yet, he’s being extended more than he should based on Cronin’s fondness for him.
Not to mention, junior guard Dylan Andrews has fallen off a cliff in a substantial way. He averaged 12.9 PPG last season and had the look of a guy who could contend for all Big Ten honors. This season, his confidence has completely eroded. He’s averaging only 6.7 PPG and his involvement within the team continues to dwindle.
The only transfer thus far who’s looked like a real player has been Eric Dailey Jr. There’s a high level of efficiency to his game, and he’s undoubtedly the best pro prospect on this team.
It’s somewhat concerning that this program has had two consecutive years of massive roster turnover. Cronin will point to the new world of transfers and NIL money as a culprit. To an extent that’s true — though he made his bones through player development traditionally. This team doesn’t look like it’s having any fun or joy out on the floor. The offensive scheme is a mess, reliant upon extensive pick-and-roll usage and not much else.
Based on what we’re seeing, we could see a third-straight year where the roster turns over yet again. It’s difficult to sustain a real culture that way. What made UCLA so elite under Cronin a few years ago was the core he managed to keep together (Clark, David Singleton, Tyger Campbell, Jaime Jaquez Jr.) for multiple seasons.
No one doubts Cronin’s dedication to the program. He understands the bigger picture in knowing how special this job is. Cronin often speaks on the history of UCLA, and his candid rapport through the media has enabled him to connect with the fan base well. His teams also have a track record of steadily improving as the season goes on.
At the same time, the responsibility ultimately falls on his shoulders. His explosive theatrics on the sidelines are starting to wear on the supporters — as is his penchant for putting the blame on players through interviews. Unless Cronin can suddenly turn things around in the rugged Big Ten, the hot seat will begin to get warm in Westwood.
