One UCLA Basketball Player Being Overlooked This Offseason

UCLA’s men’s basketball team has undergone significant roster turnover this season as it seeks to return to elite status. Much of the attention has been going to the key returners in Xavier Booker, Trent Perry, and Eric Dailey Jr., as well as the four transfer additions.

However, there’s another returning Bruin who seems to be overlooked. Maybe that’s by design since he didn’t put up spectacular numbers as a freshman last season, but he came on strong at the end of the year, especially on the defensive end, and, as Perry showed, players can make a big leap in their development from Year 1 to Year 2.

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UCLA’s Overlooked Sophomore

Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Eric Freeny (8) dribbles the ball against UCF Knights forward Jamichael Stillwell (4) in the first half during a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

For those who didn’t figure it out from those clues, we’re talking about redshirt sophomore 6-foot-4 guard Eric Freeny, a former top-70 national recruit from Corona, California. After sitting out the 2024-25 season, he slowly became a key factor for the Bruins last year, and the next step of his development could be a big key for UCLA’s future.

Freeny played 11.1 minutes per game last season and appeared in 28 games off the bench for UCLA, contributing mostly on defense but also placing among the team’s best three-point shooters (37.5%) in limited attempts. However, he was one of the players whom head coach Mick Cronin singled out as a major factor in UCLA’s late-season turnaround, citing Freeny’s attention to detail and communication that helped create his intense defensive prowess.

Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Eric Freeny (8) dribbles the ball against the UCF Knights 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…

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Publish date : 2026-06-29 16:05:00

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