Former Bruin Donovan Dent Explains Reason Behind Sudden Retirement

Donovan Dent has retired from basketball, and he revealed his reasoning for the shocking move earlier this week.

Dent — who has a memorable four-year college career with New Mexico and UCLA — is choosing to walk away from the game and not pursue a professional career in the NBA or any other overseas leagues. The move comes after a difficult senior season with UCLA.

Mar 22, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Donovan Dent (2) reacts 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 | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Dent was a star for New Mexico over his first three collegiate seasons, averaging 14.1 points and 5.4 assists per game as a sophomore in 2023-24, and then averaging 20.4 points and 6.4 assists per game on his way to being named Mountain West Player of the Year the following season.

Now firmly established as a star, Dent entered the transfer portal after his time with the Lobos. One of the top transfer portal talents, he landed with the UCLA Bruins, securing a deal reportedly worth millions. The move to Westwood was also a bit of a homecoming for Dent, as he was born in Riverside and attended Corona Centennial High School in California.

Mar 23, 2025; Cleveland, OH, USA; New Mexico Lobos guard Donovan Dent (2) shoots the ball over Michigan State Spartans guard Jeremy Fears Jr. (1) in the second half during the NCAA Tournament Second Round at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Dent With UCLA

Unfortunately for Dent, his homecoming didn’t quite go the way he probably would have envisioned. His production would dip dramatically, as he averaged just 13.3 points and 7.6 assists per game, while shooting a measly 41 percent from the floor, and 25 percent from three-point range — the worst mark of his career since his freshman season.

While he did finish the season off strong, Dent is now opting to call it quits and focus on other aspects of his life instead of pursuing a professional career after that tumultuous season with the Bruins. Dent hosted a basketball training camp for youth players this week, and he explained his decision to walk away from the game so soon.

Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Donovan Dent (2) dribbles the ball against UCF Knights guard Chris Johnson (22) 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

Dent’s Thoughts

“It’s nothing new to me, I already knew where I was at mentally,” Dent said. “It was a long talk with my family after the season. I wanted to make sure they understood my side of it and that they supported me through it. Once they did, it was really easy for me to adjust to it.”

Dent also explained that his focus is now on giving back to the community, specifically in training. Dent was one of the top point guards in the country over his collegiate career, so entering the training realm to train the next generation isn’t a bad career path by any means.

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