How This Player's Benching Affects UCLA

Mick Cronin has made a massive change

Jan 3, 2026; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin reacts during the first half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

UCLA has changed its identity midseason. This means certain players won't be seeing the floor as often.

After starting the season 10-5, the Bruins as a whole have failed to meet expectations. In turn this has prompted crucial roster changes. Mick Cronin will not settle for mediocrity, so these changes are a must if UCLA is going to be able to turn this season around.

The Player in Question

Nov 18, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Sacramento State Hornets forward Shaqir O'Neal (8) rebounds in front of UCLA Bruins center Xavier Booker (1) during the second half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

It has been no mystery that Xavier Booker has struggled to fit in well with the Bruins this season. After playing 25.5 minutes per game in the first 10 games, Booker's minutes have gone down significantly, playing just 10.5 minutes per game in the last four.

There have been plenty of factors that have contributed to this sharp decline in minutes, but easily the biggest reason has been his poor defense. The Bruins' defense has been a far cry from the teams Mick Cronin has coached in the past, and it starts with Xavier Booker.

Dec 23, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin reacts on the sidelines in the first half against the UC Riverside Highlanders at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Mick Cronin was asked about Xavier Booker’s diminishing role and pointed to a failure to consistently execute the fundamental responsibilities he expects from a big man in his system, saying:

"You’ve got to defend and rebound or I just can’t play you – anybody. Anybody. And in defense of him, he’s not the only one. Right now, I’m searching for players who can do it."

Mick Cronin

How this Affects the Team

Jan 3, 2026; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Brandon Williams (5) dunks as Iowa Hawkeyes guard Kael Combs (11) looks on during the second half at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Booker's inefficiencies has sent a shockwave throughout the Bruin roster as a whole. UCLA has now turned to a more small-ball look, which just mean they tend to play three-guards at a time, down from their original more traditional lineups.

This has caused the Bruins to give more minutes to bench players like Jamar Brown, Trent Perry, and Brandon Williams to make up for the hole that Xavier Booker left. Overall, this change has been received well, as the offense has seen massive strides lately, averaging 89.8 points per game.

Jan 3, 2026; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; UCLA Bruins center Xavier Booker (1) and Iowa Hawkeyes forward Cam Manyawu (3) battle for the opening tipoff during the first half at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

While the offense has been great, the defense still has a long way to go. While it has been apparent that Booker is not the direct issue defensively, he is far from the solution. If the defense is unable to improve soon, we might see Booker weasel his way back into the starting lineup.

Nov 14, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Trent Perry (0) and center Xavier Booker (1) leave the court after defeated by the Arizona Wildcats 69-65 at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

While Booker has shown flashes of the player he is supposed to be, those moments have not been consistent enough to warrant the significant minutes he saw at the beginning of the season.

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