The Bruin With the Most Impact Down the Stretch

With Mick Cronin switching to a three-guard look, there is one player who might be set to have a great rest of the season.

The roster issues that UCLA has had to deal with this season have made it rough for UCLA to play its regular lineup. This has caused many players to shift positions, including Tyler Bilodeau, who has found himself playing center a lot recently.

The Player Who Will Benefit the Most

Nov 18, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Sacramento State Hornets guard Prophet Johnson (16) drives past UCLA Bruins guard Jamar Brown (4) during the first half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The three-guard look's primary function is to make teams quicker and harder to stop in transition. The previous Bruins lineup simply could not do that, forcing Cronin to make some changes. While not officially a starter, Jamar Brown has really benefited from this change.

The 6-foot-5 guard gives UCLA great length for someone who is very mobile. This allows UCLA not to have to make the sacrifice of height, for this new look to work, meaning Jamar Brown will get serious minutes, and it has already started to happen.

Against UC Riverside, he played 24 minutes and played exactly how Cronin needed him to. While his scoring was not off the charts, as he only scored four points, he made up for it with seven rebounds, which is a massive bonus playing small ball.

Brown was also excellent in the game prior against Cal Poly, where he played 27 minutes and scored 14 points, on 85.7% shooting, an excellent mark for a role player. We are starting to see Brown play very intentional minutes now, marking three games in a row where he has played over 20 minutes.

This formula is working, meaning we will see more of Jamar Brown down the stretch, barring an injury. In the Bruins' last three games, with Brown playing 20-plus minutes, the Bruins have scored over 90 points in each. While a lot of this credit can be attributed to Tyler Bilodeau, the point stands.

Jamar Brown allows UCLA to switch to this new offensive look that has made the offense easier. This has opened up windows for Bilodeau to make a huge impact scoring this season. While it was possible before, it has become even more consistent with this new formation.

Dec 23, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Tyler Bilodeau (34), UC Riverside Highlanders forward Jailen Daniel-Dalton (44), UCLA Bruins guard Jamar Brown (4) and UC Riverside Highlanders guard Andrew Henderson (12) battle for a rebound in the first half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Jamar Brown has been crucial in ushering in this new offensive identity for the Bruins. Moving forward, we should see him continue to get more and more minutes moving forward. This can only mean he will get better, something that could prove to put UCLA over the top.

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