Why UCLA Needs Growth From Trent Perry This Season

As we continue to dive into the statistical stars on this UCLA team, one stat in particular reveals a spot where the Bruins may struggle next season.

We know that Trent Perry is an excellent player, and as he steps into the role that was once Donovan Dent’s, naturally the two will be compared. However, what Dent provided to UCLA was among the best in the country for any school, leaving Perry with some major shoes to fill.

Assist Percentage Is a Major Factor

When tracking the statistics for all Division 1 basketball players who played in at least 10 games and played at least 10 minutes per game, there were a total of 3,294 players. In assist percentage alone, Dent ranked eighth (!) in the country per CBB Analytics, making him one of the best distributors.

Meanwhile, the members of this new Bruins roster all fell to the left side of the graph, meaning they accumulated a low percentage of assists last season. While that may be problematic for some of those players, it doesn’t necessarily tell an accurate story for Trent Perry.

This is exactly why UCLA could potentially struggle due to Donovan Dent's absence

Out of 3,294 players in D1 basketball who have 10+ minutes per game and at least 10 games played, Dent ranks 8th (!) in assist %

Stats via/@CBBAnalytics pic.twitter.com/nfD4Y9Zpxs
— Kade Nix (@bykadenix) September 1, 2026

Perry and Dent shared the floor for much of the season, and only one player can get an assist per possession. Even though Dent’s rate was much higher than Perry’s, you have to take into account the roles they played. Distributing the ball last season was Dent’s role, and he excelled at it. Perry’s percentage should skyrocket this year, as he steps into that same role.

Assist-to-Turnover Percentage vs. True Shooting Percentage

Another graph that tells a story is the assist-to-turnover ratio versus true shooting percentage. Donovan Dent ranks fifth in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio among players with at least 20 assists, 100 field goal attempts, and 10 games played, averaging 10 minutes per game.

Assist to Turnover Ratio vs. True Shooting %#UCLA guard Donovan Dent comes 5th in the country among players with at least 100 field goal attempts, 20 assists, and at least 10 games played with 10 minutes per game.

The encouraging part is that Trent Perry and Jaylen Petty are… pic.twitter.com/wIkq9lWd4n
— Kade Nix (@bykadenix) September 2, 2026

I know that may seem like specific criteria, but that includes 2,202 players, and Dent ranks in the top five in the country.

Although you will notice, it seemed as if that was Dent’s game almost entirely, as he relied heavily on his playmaking, only managing to shoot 47.2% in true shooting percentage. That ranks Dent 2,050th by those same guidelines, landing him in the seventh percentile.

The encouraging thing is that both Perry and Jaylen Petty, UCLA’s primary ball handlers, fall toward the top-right quadrant. As their roles and responsibilities increase this season, it will be interesting to see if they can continue to shoot at a decent rate while also handling the distribution duties that Dent handled last season.

Overall, UCLA is in a good place, and I have faith that Perry will excel in his role as the point guard, both as a facilitator and a scorer.

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