NCAA Basketball: Class of 2022’s No. 2 recruit Jalen Duren release top 11 list
By Ian Mumm
UCLA Bruins
The Bruins are coming off an amazing season in which they stormed to the Final Four as an 11-seed from the play-in round. The program has found early success under 2nd-year head coach Mick Cronin and the transformation is occurring right in front of our eyes. Even prior to the improbable tournament run, Cronin was finding success on the recruiting trail building up the program.
Including 5-star recruits Peyton Watson (2021) and Amari Bailey, the Bruins stock is skyrocketing and looking to be a contender for years to come. To top it off, the program has a good balance of talent that will look to explore professional opportunities early in their college careers as well as players with more sustainable contributions to the team.
The team’s frontcourt-specific talents have been reliable as well, but injuries provided slight inconsistencies in the rotation. As of now, there seem to be little chances of Cody Riley, Chris Smith, or Jalen Hill transferring out of the program yet professional pursuits still remain a possibility.
The fact remains though that the team only has one underclassman on the roster in Micawber Etienne to anchor the paint in years to come. Adding Duren will be a huge win for Cronin not only in terms of continuing to maintain recruiting momentum, but securing the program’s likelihood of reaching the Final Four again soon.
Duren would be an extremely beneficial asset for the Bruins perimeter tendencies and point guard Tyger Campbell’s new best friend in the pick-and-roll. This program would feature skyrocketing expectations if the 5-star decided to land in LA.