NCAA Basketball: Top 25 preseason power rankings for 2021-22 season

What’s amazing about sports is how one single game can completely change the narrative of a specific team. UCLA is the perfect example of this, as they needed a comeback effort against Michigan State in the “First Four” game in advance. Had that not happened, we wouldn’t have seen the great run the Bruins made, including nearly beating the unbeaten Gonzaga Bulldogs to make it to the national title game.

And considering that everyone who was involved in the run is coming back, it makes sense why UCLA is as high as they are in the preseason rankings. It was made official when Johnny Juzang, the team’s leading scorer that averaged around 25 ppg in the postseason opted to return. The transfer from Kentucky established himself as the go-to scorer once Chris Smith went down with an injury. He still has room to improve as a shooter but will be an All-American candidate this season if he continues his postseason form.

Juzang is one of five returning double-digit scorers, all of whom are experienced upperclassmen. Point guard Tyger Campbell continues to fly under the radar but is a steady ball-handler and playmaker while having enough offense to keep opponents honest. Combo forward Jaime Jaquez, Jr. was second on the team with 12.3 ppg and 6.1 rpg and can defend just about anybody, while Jules Bernard shot 40% from three-point range.

Big man Cody Riley is also back after flirting with the NBA Draft and is joined in the frontcourt by Rutgers center transfer Myles Johnson, a similar player that rebounds and plays good defense. They likely won’t be on the court together but this will guarantee that UCLA will have an impact interior presence for all 40 minutes.

Add five-star wing prospect Peyton Watson to the mix as another versatile weapon and the Bruins will have a ton of depth and starpower to work with. We’ll if they can look great all season instead of just five games in the postseason but the confidence gained, along with another year in head coach Mick Cronin’s season should have them in great position to win the Pac-12.