NCAA Basketball: Preseason Top-25 power rankings for 2020-21 season

There weren’t many expectations for UCLA in year one of the Mick Cronin era. In fact, the non-conference was a major cause for concern. But once they entered Pac-12 play, the Bruins defense and overall depth made them a force. And with almost everyone returning, expectations will certainly be around this preseason.

It starts with the return of leading scorer Chris Smith. The 6’9 wing had some consistency issues but showed that he can put up plenty of points in a given game. UCLA hopes for better overall offense from him and everyone else, particularly from the three-point line. That’s where Johnny Juzang comes in.

"All and all, I expect the Bruins to take a major leap forward this year. Their backcourt is just too strong for teams to contain, and I expect that to win them a lot of games. – Nick Raponi (@nickraponi)"

The former top-30 recruit came off the bench last season for Kentucky before transferring back home this offseason. The 6’6 guard/wing is known for being a shooter and should help provide more shooting and depth this year. Tyger Campbell will be the starting point guard again, while  Jaime Jaquez Jr. came on strong as a freshman last season once given increased playing time.

The frontcourt should be solid once again, led by starters Cody Riley and Jalen Hill. The due combined to produce 17.8 ppg and 11.4 rpg and were solid on the defensive end. There’s not much depth behind them so expect a ton of smaller lineups throughout games, including small forwards Jake Kyman and freshman Jaylen Clark.

Add guards Jules Benard and David Singleton and there should be enough offense for UCLA to win once again. Their talent ceiling may not be as high as Arizona State and Oregon in the Pac-12 but the safest pick to win the conference this season may be the defensive Bruins.