Biggest Questions UCLA Needs To Answer Before Season

As UCLA heads into the 2026-27 season under Mick Cronin, here are some of the biggest questions surrounding the Bruins.

Will the Frontcourt Be Able to Compete Against the Best in the Big Ten?

Mar 22, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Eric Dailey Jr. (3) shoots the ball against the UConn Huskies in the second half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Highlighting the frontcourt is the duo of Eric Dailey Jr. and Xavier Booker, as some of the key returners for this UCLA team. Eric Dailey returns as the starting power forward, and there is a lot of promise regarding his game this season. If I had to pick out a few Bruins who I believe could take another step upward in production this season, Dailey would certainly make that short list.

As for Xavier Booker, I believe he has the tools around him to be great this season. If he can rebound at a higher level, he could be largely important for this team, but his overall rebounding in the past has left a bit to be desired. He played excellently down the stretch for UCLA, particularly as a shot blocker, and if he can continue that level of play, this frontcourt could be sneaky good in the Big Ten.

Who Will Replace Donovan Dent’s Distribution?

Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Trent Perry (0) makes a pass against the UCF Knights 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 | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Donovan Dent played a role last season that this current UCLA roster doesn’t have an exact substitute for. Dent was among the nation's best at distributing the basketball and overall playmaking. While Trent Perry isn’t a perfect replacement in that regard, he is the player who will fill in the gaps that Dent left.

Perry can be a great facilitator, and he’ll head into this season with much larger responsibility than he saw last season. He only averaged 2.8 assists last season, but again, Dent took most of that responsibility, leaving little room for anyone else on the team to acquire any assists. Perry will also be surrounded by players who can score.

Mar 22, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Trent Perry (0) dribbles the ball against the UConn Huskies in the first half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Newcomers Jaylen Petty and Nikola Kusturica profile as potential players to lead the team in scoring, meaning Petty truly could focus on playing in a role similar to what we saw from Dent last season.

What Will the Rotation Look Like?

In terms of how many players could be involved in the rotation, that exact number still seems a bit muddy. We know Perry and Petty will start on the perimeter, as well as Kusturica. Dailey Jr. and Booker will start in the frontcourt, with newcomer Filip Jovic being the likely sixth man of the team.

Auburn Tigers forward Filip Jovic (38) looses the ball Sunday, April 5, 2026, during the NIT men's basketball championship game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

As for the rest of the lineup, I would imagine we see Freshman Joe Philon and transfer Sergej Macura help out as depth pieces who still have the ability to make an impact. As for players like Gunars Grinvalds, Brandon Williams, and Azavier Robinson, I’m truly unsure exactly how many minutes we can expect to see them in the rotation.

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