Where UCLA Should Turn With Tounde Yessoufou off Market

Mick Cronin has a big decision to make: whether to ride with the squad he has now or go after another top player still in the portal.

Mar 12, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin gestures to his team against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

UCLA basketball and Mick Cronin are entering a pivotal year. After entering the season last year as the 12th-ranked team in the country, the Bruins fell out of the top 25 and lost in the second round as a 7-seed.

During the offseason, while Cronin did bring in two freshmen from the 2026 high school class, he did most of his damage through the transfer portal.

Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin reacts in the first 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

Cronin was able to bring in quality players, including Texas Tech point guard Jaylen Petty, Butler point guard Azavier Robinson, Mississippi State small forward Sergej Macura, and Auburn power forward Filip Jovic. With those four players committed to coming to Westwood, the Bruins have the No. 8 transfer class for 2026, according to Rivals.

Cronin was also recruiting players who entered the NBA Draft process, with the option to transfer to another college if they decided to return to college basketball. One of the top names the Bruins were looking to get was Tounde Yessoufou. He decided to come back to college but committed to play for Rick Pitino and St. John's.

Mar 19, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin speaks with the media before a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

With the Bruins losing out on one of the best players still in the transfer portal, let's look at where they can go moving forward.

Build Around Trent Perry

Mar 22, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Trent Perry (0) reacts 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: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Trent Perry was one of the breakout players from last year's squad. While most of the talk went to seniors Tyler Bilodeau, who led the team in scoring with 17.9 per game, Perry became a premier player with his 12.6 points per game on 43% shooting from the field and 39% shooting from three. Perry is now entering his junior season at UCLA and is expected to be the focal point of the offense.

Mick Cronin was able to retain guys from last year’s squad, such as Xavier Booker and Eric Dailey Jr, as well as bringing in players from the transfer portal, such as Jaylen Petty, who can be a good secondary scoring option.

Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Trent Perry (0) reacts with guard Eric Freeny (8) 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

By bringing in one of the top transfer portal classes to UCLA, Mick Cronin has done a good job of adding players who can help Perry become one of the best players in the Big Ten.

Go All in on Milan Momcilovic

Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin reacts in the first 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

Momcilovic decided to withdraw from the NBA Draft and will return for her senior season in college basketball. Last year at Iowa State, he was the best three-point shooter in the country, averaging 48.9% on 7.5 three-point attempts per game.

Momcilovic coming to UCLA seems like a long shot, as he has been linked to Kentucky since entering the transfer portal. However, with the funds UCLA has available, if they want to find a player in the portal who can help them win, he would be the perfect fit, not only complementing Perry's game but also playing alongside Dailey and Booker in the front court.