UCLA Basketball: Bruins Wing Claps Back At Mick Cronin Criticism of Fitness
The UCLA Bruins basketball team has started their season out 3-0 after another victory, this time against Long Island University. The team is much younger than in previous years, but they do still have plenty of talent on the roster.
Guard Lazar Stefanovic has provided a nice scoring punch for the Bruins this season, and he has made himself into one of their main guys. But UCLA head coach Mick Cronin said that Stefanovic wasn’t in game shape enough to play 40 minutes, but the junior guard disagreed with the assessment.
“He’s not right about that. I’m in good shape... it was short so, five minutes long maybe I would’ve stayed in the game... If the team needs me 40 minutes I’m there for the team.”
The Bruins guard wants to help the team win, and he understands that is the most important part of any game. If he plays selflessly, he could end up seeing more minutes as the season goes on.
He comes over to UCLA after spending two years in the Utah system. He averaged 10.2 points, three rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game last season for the Utes, and so far, he has played relatively well for UCLA.
Through three games for the Bruins, he is averaging 9.7 points, six rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. But he is also averaging 2.3 steals per game as well, so he is making his presence felt elsewhere.
“Anything that can help our team win, I try to do and I try to listen to the coaches and the advice they have. We have a young team, so we need a lot of leadership. These guys need a lot of help, they want to listen, they want to get better and they need some help because they haven’t been through this. Me, Adem, especially Kenny [Nwuba], Will [McClendon], even [Dylan Andrews], we have to be louder and we need to help everybody else.”
Stefanovic understands the ultimate goal at hand, and it’s nice to hear these types of comments from players. The Bruins have started the year off strong, and hopefully, they are able to keep it going.
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