Pac-12 Basketball: Strengths and weaknesses of each team for 2020-21 season

1. UCLA Bruins

Projected Starters:

G: Tyger Campbell, 5’11 So. (8.3 ppg, 5.0 apg)

G: Jaime Jaquez Jr., 6’6 So. (8.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg)

F: Chris Smith, 6’9 Sr. (13.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg)

F: Cody Riley, 6’9 Jr. (8.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg)

C: Jalen Hill, 6’10 Jr. (9.0 ppg, 6.9 rpg)

The Bruins open up this season with just about everything back from a season ago. After a shaky start, UCLA won 11 of their last 14 contests resurrecting what were once seemingly impossible hopes of an NCAA Tournament birth. I cannot remember a time in any program where a  coaching decision went from so highly criticized to just as highly praised in a matter of two weeks.

As it stands, people over in Westwood love Mick Cronin and brush off that first month-and-a-half as a learning experience (which included losses to Hofstra and Cal-State Fullerton…). Year two will be a telling one for this new era of Bruins, who are in what is essentially a three-horse race in the preseason.

Strengths: Experience is the biggest thing for this UCLA team. They bring back every starter, and the only key bench player who is gone is Prince Ali, who saw his role diminish down the stretch last year anyways.

This may be the best UCLA frontcourt, in Jalen Hill and Cody Riley, that they have had in quite a few years. You pair that with a guard who knows how to distribute as Tyger Campbell does, and that becomes something dangerous. Chris Smith (13.1 ppg) will be in contention for Pac-12 player of the year and should continue to progress on both sides of the court.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. is the X-factor for this team, who found his way into the lineup halfway through the season due to his defensive tenacity and athletic ability. Jaquez average 1.4 steals per game last year and should increase his offensive efficiency as well.

The Bruins have the depth needed in the backcourt to go the distance, with four stretch-guards (Jules Bernard, Jonny Juzang, Jake Kyman, and David Singleton) all capable of producing at a high level. Kyman and Singleton can both shoot it from deep but will have to do so more efficiently for UCLA to reach the next echelon. Jonny Juzang, a sharpshooting Kentucky transfer, is not necessarily known for his defensive prowess, but if he were to get things right defensively- he could contribute immediately.

Weaknesses: The backcourt depth took blows this offseason with the departure of Shareef O’Neal as well as Alex Olesinski. Behind Hill and Riley, the Bruins will have to rely on Kenneth Nwuba (6’9 So.) who only played sparingly in the 18′-19′ season.

Another cause for concern is looking at the offensive numbers from a year ago. UCLA was 11th in the conference in both scoring and 3-point percentage. The second-best shooter from deep, David Singleton, only shot it at a 37% clip (down from 46% the year prior). The scoring defense was also below what is expected from Cronin-coached teams, as they finished the year 112th in defensive efficiency.

The Call: For UCLA to reach the heights that they want to this season, they’ll have to shoot much better than they did a year ago. The good news is that they have the talent to do it. They will improve defensively and with all the key components returning, chemistry should be an additive factor.

If Kenneth Nwuba steps up as a valuable reserve, this team’s overall depth could match anyone in the conference. Campbell will become one of the must-watch players in the NCAA tournament, as Chris Smith brings the Bruins to the sweet sixteen for the first time since 2017.