Worst-Case Scenario for UCLA Basketball Next Season

Mick Cronin is entering a pivotal year after a disappointing year last season.

Cronin last year had the Bruins ranked 12th in the country, but they never reached those heights. Bringing in one of the top players from the transfer portal, Donovan Dent, to play alongside returning seniors Tyler Bilodeau and Skyy Clark, UCLA was considered one of the top teams in the Big Ten.

Mar 22, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin reacts in the first half during a second round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Sadly, that did not happen, as the Bruins finished outside the top 25 with a 24-12 record. While both Bilodeau and Clark had good seasons, Dent had a very disappointing year, averaging 13 points on 40% shooting from the field and 25% from three.

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Now heading into next season, all three are gone, and the Bruins will turn to junior guard Trent Perry to be the leader of the team. I have already talked about what the best-case scenario for the Bruins is next season; now, let’s look at the worst-case scenario.

Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin reacts in the second half during a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Worst-Case Scenario

Trent Perry was the lone bright spot for the team’s future. As a freshman, Perry did not have the season that he would have liked, averaging 3.7 points per game on 37/34 shooting splits. Then, as a sophomore, Perry took a giant leap in his development, averaging 12.6 points on 43/39 shooting splits.

Mar 19, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin speaks with the media before a practice session ahead of the first round of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

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Publish date : 2026-06-22 12:00:00

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