What UCLA Basketball Needs From Jaylen Petty This Season

One of UCLA’s most intriguing newcomers, Jaylen Petty, arrives in Westwood in an interesting position. The Bruins did a good job of surrounding Petty with complementary talent, so it will be interesting to see what Mick Cronin delegates as Petty’s assignments in-game.

Petty’s Strengths

Some believe that we’ll see Jaylen Petty in a point guard role, but I think that will be reserved for returning guard Trent Perry.

Mar 20, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders guard Jaylen Petty (11) drives against Akron Zips guard Sharron Young (3) in the second half during a first round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As the season approaches and we learn more about the Bruins’ practices, Petty seems increasingly likely to be primarily used as a true shooting guard and UCLA’s primary outside shooter. CBS College Basketball insider Jon Rothstein also noted Petty’s shooting prowess during a visit to practice.

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“Jaylen Petty might wind up as the best shooter to play at UCLA during the Mick Cronin era. Guy drilled shot after shot today in practice. Was excellent last season as a freshman at Texas Tech,” Rothstein wrote on X.

Mar 7, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders guard Jaylen Petty (11) dribbles the ball during the first half against the BYU Cougars at Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Baker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Petty was great at Texas Tech, but he still played a somewhat limited role. Christian Anderson outshone him for most of the year, but Petty still had his fair share of games where he was put under the spotlight.

He didn’t shy away from the big moments either. Petty played fearlessly and confidently all season, and while he was a great shooter at Texas Tech, he also showed he could create his own shots and attack downhill.

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What Petty’s Role Will Be

Mar 22, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders guard…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/ucla-basketball-needs-jaylen-petty-133001786.html

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Publish date : 2026-10-04 13:30:00

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