UCLA Basketball: Aaron Holiday’s departure leaves Bruins very young for 2018-19

With the announcement that junior Aaron Holiday is going pro, UCLA will be losing their two veteran leaders. Which young Bruin steps up to the plate?

It was a trying time for the 2017-18 UCLA basketball team from the opening gate. After the now infamous shoplifting incident in China that left three rotation players off the team, the Bruins needed to come together to make a run for the NCAA Tournament.

The upperclassmen stepped up, with senior Thomas Welsh and junior Aaron Holiday leading the team both on and off the court to just barely squeak by with a First Four game invite. But after losing to St. Bonaventure, the Bruins were done for the year.

Welsh’s eligibility was up, but Holiday had another year if he wanted to come back. But after his breakout season, he made his decision.

This is a tough blow in many ways. The Bruins lose an All-Conference point guard and a player who was going to be one of the few upperclassmen on the roster for next season. Currently, there are no seniors expected for 2018-19 and just two juniors.

The rest will all be underclassmen, although it will be a talented bunch. Cody Riley and Jalen Hill should be back after getting suspended for the China situation, and there are six commits for the recruiting class of 2018. The Bruins have the third-ranked class, with a few instant impact players coming aboard.

Next: How the Michigan Wolverines reached the Final Four

But his is going to be an awfully young team next year, with no clear leader. That could be a huge potential problem, considering that they’re playing at a school with a fan base who has high expectations. If Kris Wilkes and Jaylen Hands both stay, they can be the keys to a return trip to the Big Dance. Otherwise, Coach Steve Alford is going to be going through some big-time growing pains.