The 2023-24 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team began the season with much fanfare. Head coach Mick Cronin has acquired two potential first-round draft picks in center Adei Mara and forward Baake Büyüktuncel, along with a second-year player who is likely to be drafted in the lower part of the second round. will be joined by big man Adem Bona. The club also had a number of four-star guard rookies and recent prospects.
Instead of increasing their Sweet Sixteen spots in 2022-23 with an overall veteran-heavy roster, the team fell below .500 for the first time in Cronin's five-year tenure, finishing 16-17. Several players have already entered the NCAA transfer portal, and although no official announcement has been made, sources told Bruin Report Online's Tracy Pearson that Bona will soon announce his selection for the NBA Draft. I am told that it is planned.
Surprisingly, considering all of this, the Bruins are expected to make a big comeback next year by various media outlets.
Sporting News' Mike Decourcy is the most bullish on the Bruins' prospects, ranking them 16th as the best club next year.
USA Today's Paul Meyerberg, Eric Smith and Eddie Timanas project UCLA as the 17th-best team, noting the Bruins already have a solid transfer portal entry.
“Mick Cronin has already acquired guards Skye Clark (Louisville) and Kobe Johnson (Southern California) to the portal, joining a core group of four double-digit scorers led by Dylan Andrews and Adem Bona. ” writes the USA Today team. “UCLA will have to adjust to the Big Ten schedule, but it looks well-prepared for the challenge.”
Fox Sports' John Fanta ranks UCLA as the No. 19 team in 2024-25 in his very early preseason rankings. Andy Katz of NCAA.com pegged the Bruins as the No. 29 program next year, noting, “The foundations are in place again, and Cronin returns star sophomore Dylan Andrews, who will likely thrive in the portal.” .