Bruins' Senior Leader Has Been Team's Most Dynamic Player

UCLA senior guard Kobe Johnson is coming off his best game as a Bruin and continues to prove why he is built for the next level. There are few players in college basketball this season that impact the game quite like he does.

Feb 8, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Kobe Johnson (0) is called for a foul on Penn State Nittany Lions forward Zach Hicks (24) in the second half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The UCLA Bruins (18-6, 9-4) are quite lucky for the decision that senior guard Kobe Johnson made this offseason to transfer from bitter rival, USC, to join the Bruins for his final year of college basketball. There has been no better winner and leader for this team on a seven-game win streak.

In Saturday's blowout win over Penn State (13-11, 3-10) at home, Johnson had his best game as a Bruin, earning his first double-double of the season. He netted a season-high 15 points with 13 rebounds, six assists and four steals, leading the team in each one of those categories.

Bruins coach Mick Cronin spoke after the game about Johnson's winning impact and senior leadership following their 18th win of the season and ninth in conference play. He knows just how special the transfer guard has been for this team all year long.

“So far, we’ve had a pretty good year. Kobe’s a big part of that because he gave us a senior leader that is a winner," Cronin said. "He’s a winning player, so he can help your team win with the pass, obviously with the rebound, obviously with defense, and he can score as well. So he does all four things."

Cronin recognized the multi-faceted impact that his senior leader has had on this team all season. He has been the team's best defender while his offense continues to improve, and his rebounding ability is top-tier. Johnson's coach hinted at a potential opportunity at the next level.

"You look down, the guy's got four steals, six assists, 15 points, 13 rebounds and one block shot," Cronin said. "He's been doing it all year for us. He just does a lot of things that don't show up in the stat sheet, and there's a lot of NBA people that are friends of mine that know it, and he's going to get his chance. He's going to get his chance at the next level because people like to win. He was awesome today."

Humble as ever, the Milwaukee native recognized his success while also praising his teammates for the role they played in the win. He knows that he must continue to play as well as he did against the Nittany Lions if the Bruins want to achieve the expectations they set for themselves.

"That was a good game for me," Johnson said. "I was just able to penetrate, get my teammates open, and thankfully, shots were falling for me, at least in the paint. But I just got to keep that going for this team to be as best as we can."

The Bruins will take on the Illinois Fighting Illini (16-8, 8-6) on Tuesday night in their first road game outside of the West Coast since their last loss against Rutgers in mid-January. Johnson will look for another dynamic performance, making an impact in all phases of the game.

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