NCAA Basketball: Top 25 impact freshmen classes for 2023-24 season

3. UCLA Bruins

The Bruins had lost four starters this offseason and looked at multiple different pathways to reload. One way was the international route, landing two of the best foreign prospects available who both play in the backcourt. One is Jan Vide, a 6’5 combo guard from Slovenia with a nice shooting tough and has good size for a ball-handler.

The other international newcomer is Ilane Fibleuil, a 6’7 wing from France. He’s very skilled and a very good shooter, who has some ball-handling ability as well. Look for him to start on the wings alongside Utah transfer, Lazar Stefanovic. There’s also a top-100 shooting guard commit from the states in Sebastian Mack, a 6’4 scorer that’ll provide instant offense on the court.

There’s going to be a battle for the power forward position between a pair of Williams. Brandon Williams is a 6’7 forward from New York who is a tough and physical frontcourt player, while Devin Williams is a 6’10 big that plays close to the basket and is more of a defender. It’s a wide-open spot so it won’t be a surprise whichever takes the starting role, though both players are expected to be in the frontcourt rotation.

UCLA’s roster is fairly young and inexperienced but the potential is there, particularly on defense for this Mick Cronin-led roster. They’ll need Fibleuil to be an instant impact star to lead the way, as well as the Williams duo to give them something offensively inside.