UCLA Showing Interest in Promising St. John's Transfer

This guard is getting looks from UCLA.

Mar 22, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin reacts in the first half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The UCLA Bruins haven’t had much success in the transfer portal so far, but they are trying their luck again, showing interest in St. John’s transfer Joson Sanon. 

Sanon is a 6-foot-5, 200-pound sophomore who has played at both St. John’s and Arizona State. At ASU as a freshman, he averaged 11.9 points per game on 42 percent shooting from the floor and 36 percent from three-point range. His numbers fell off at St. John’s last season, as he averaged just 7.9 points per game on just 33.8 percent shooting from the floor, 33.6 percent from three.

Mar 14, 2026; New York, NY, USA; St. John's Red Storm guard Joson Sanon (3) shoots a three point shot against Connecticut Huskies guard Braylon Mullins (24) during the second half of the men's Big East Conference Tournament Championship game at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Sanon Garnering Interest

Now in need of a fresh start, Sanon has been garnering interest from UCLA since entering the transfer portal. He has been earning attention from plenty of other Power Conference schools as well, so Mick Cronin will have his work cut out for him if he wants his services next season.

The Bruins haven’t had a ton of luck in the transfer portal so far. Despite hosting visits for Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell and NC State transfer Matt Able, neither player walked away with a deal in Westwood. 

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

While Sanon had a rough season last year with the Red Storm, he has proven to be a capable player at the Power Conference level, making him an intriguing prospect for many programs. As far as the Bruins are concerned, they can’t afford to lose another transfer portal target. 

Mar 14, 2026; New York, NY, USA; St. John's Red Storm guard Joson Sanon (3) reacts after a made basket against the Connecticut Huskies during the first half of the men's Big East Conference Tournament Championship at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

UCLA’s Losses

The Bruins have dealt with the loss of several star producers from last season. Starters Donovan Dent and Tyler Bilodeau are both out of eligibility, and Skyy Clark entered the transfer portal in hopes of earning an additional year of eligibility. With a lot of production heading out the door, the Bruins need to find ways to patch those holes left behind by their absences. 

Despite their struggles in the portal, the Bruins do have a few things going for them. They’ve gotten commitments from Jaylen Petty, Filip Jovic, Sergej Macura, and Azavier Robinson in the portal. They’ll hope that Sanon will be the next player to join this group.

Mar 22, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders guard Jaylen Petty (11) shoots over Alabama Crimson Tide guard Labaron Philon (0) in the first half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Also, the Bruins were able to re-sign each of their underclassmen from last season. Eric Freeny, Eric Dailey Jr., Xavier Booker, Trent Perry, and Brandon Williams all agreed to run it back for the 2026-27 season. At the very least, UCLA will have some solid continuity going into next season, no matter what happens in the transfer portal.