Highest Ceiling Players for UCLA Basketball Next Season

If the UCLA men's basketball team is going to perform up to its standards and expectations during the 2026-27 season, it'll require much of the new roster stepping up.

The Bruins have lost several players to graduation, potential NBA and pro basketball careers, and the transfer portal, leaving much to be reconstructed in the offseason. However, they still have players with potential, and unlocking it will be one of the keys to a successful season.

ucla basketbal — Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin reacts 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 Streicher-Imagn Images

Here are a few players who have the highest ceilings and potential, and therefore, incredibly important jobs and roles for the UCLA team this upcoming season.

Xavier Booker

It's clearly a make-or-break year for Xavier Booker. The UCLA big man once rose to the No. 1 overall ranking in his recruiting class as a high schooler, exciting those programs battling for his services. However, he has not played up to expectations at the college level, whether at UCLA or during his first two seasons at Michigan State.

The 6-foot-11, 245-pound center was considered a "unicorn" coming out of high school as a rare almost-seven-footer with incredible athleticism, the ability to protect the rim, and nearly guard-like abilities on the offensive end of the floor. He was supposed to be an elite scorer at all levels, and a potential matchup nightmare from three-point range.

Yet, none of that has come to fruition. Booker has had great games here and there, but he's never put it together consistently. At times, it seems as if the physicality of the Big Ten and college basketball is too much for him, but there are glimpses of what he was expected to become, and much of it seemed to unlock a bit toward the end of last season.

If Mick Cronin and the Bruins can finally get that full potential out of him, Booker becomes a truly elite player, and UCLA has a unique advantage.

Trent Perry

Perry put himself here with the way he played during Skyy Clark's 10-game absence last year. It really helped put the sophomore on the college basketball map after a freshman campaign in which he averaged just 3.7 points, 1.7 rebounds, and less than one assist per game.

Those numbers exploded as he entered the starting lineup, averaging 12.6 points, 3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 0.9 steals, while shooting 39.2% from behind the arc to become one of UCLA's most lethal shooters. He even had two games with at least 25 points.

Perry clearly worked well with last season's guard rotation and starting lineup, but now he's the guy. There's no more Skyy Clark, Tyler Bilodeau, or Donovan Dent to lead the way and allow him to be the secondary scorer. Texas Tech transfer Jaylen Petty can help some, but Perry has to be the first option, and teams will key in on him. That means he needs to be more consistent than he was down the stretch last season.

If he handles it well, he could become a star for the Bruins, but it's up to him to do the work and the staff and his teammates to push him to be great.

Jaylen Petty

The Texas Tech transfer will allow Perry to keep playing off the ball and not have to adjust his role much, and the two could form one of the nation's top backcourt duos. Petty was a top-130 prospect coming out of high school as the No. 1 player in the state of Washington and the No. 15 point guard overall, according to 247Sports.

He showed spurts of greatness at Texas Tech, and taking on a bigger role with experienced guys who know the program and its systems well should get him up to speed quickly and make him a candidate to take significant steps forward. If he eventually starts scoring in double-digits consistently, he'll be a big problem for the rest of the conference.

Honorable Mention: Joe Philon

We don't truly know what kind of role Joe Philon will have as a freshman for UCLA next season, so he wasn't included above. However, he's a player who oozes potential as a developing prospect, the top-rated commitment in UCLA's class, and an elite defensive prowess.

NEWS: Joe Philon, a four-star prospect in the class of 2026, has committed to UCLA, he tells @247Sports

"It's surreal being able to go to a school as prestigious as UCLA.”

Story: https://t.co/WgLMrNaiRp pic.twitter.com/RfduXSm1CA
— Dushawn London (@DushawnLondon1) March 21, 2026

That defense along with his length, speed, and athleticism will likely get him on the court. The question will be if he can put on enough muscle to truly make an impact and then put together some kind of offensive game. As a top-75 recruit, there's plenty to like here, but too many questions to consider him as significant as others on the roster.

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