NCAA Basketball: Arizona, Indiana, and Ole Miss rise in updated 2024-25 WTE power rankings

23. UCLA Bruins

In the first two months of last season, UCLA was viewed as a complete disaster, losing to mid-majors and also getting blown out early in Pac-12 play. They did go on a run in the final weeks to finish around .500 but for Coach Mick Cronin and the Bruins, it wasn’t acceptable.

Few teams have worked harder in the transfer portal this offseason than UCLA, adding six transfers, four of them from the power conference ranks. They took Kobe Johnson from rival USC, one of the better perimeter defenders in the country. Skyy Clark is a double-digit scoring guard from Louisville, while Dominick Harris is a former top-60 prospect who at LMU, shot over 45% from three-point range. 

Starting center Adem Bona is gone but three frontcourt transfers are collectively replacing him. Eric Dailey was a starter at Oklahoma State as a freshman, averaging 9.3 ppg. Tyler Bilodeau is another former Pac-12 player joining them, averaging over 14 ppg at Oregon State. And William Kyle is a 6’6 forward from South Dakota State who adds depth.

The Bruins are going from one of the younger rosters in the country to one with the same average age as the rest of the teams. With Dylan Andrews and Sebastian Mack back, there’s going to be plenty of scoring potential for the team as they head to the Big Ten.