UCLA Basketball: 2024-25 season preview for the Bruins
By Joey Loose
Key Reserves
Guard – Trent Perry (Freshman)
A 4-star point guard from nearby in southern California, Perry joins the Bruins as their top-rated freshman recruit. He’s an impressive scorer and long-range shooter who’s still building into his body and frame, but Perry can absolutely secure instant minutes as a backup at the point. He’s a smart, savvy playmaker and passer, though we’ll see how long it takes him to catch up to the collegiate game.
Guard/Forward – Brandon Williams (Sophomore)
Williams joined the Bruins last year after being a Top 100 recruit and got decent run in his initial season. As a freshman, the Queens native put up 3.1 points and 2.2 rebounds a game, starting 14 contests on the year. That level of production doesn’t stand out, but there’s a chance Williams secure a bigger role if he can be more consistent as a sophomore, now with an entire offseason of training under his belt.
Guard – Dominick Harris (Senior)
Harris is coming off the best collegiate season of his career, having shined at Loyola Marymount after brief playing experience before that at Gonzaga. As a redshirt junior, he put up 14.3 points and 3.3 rebounds per game while leading the WCC with his 45% 3-point shooting mark. If his game translates into the Big Ten, then Harris becomes an important sniper off the bench for a team that really needed that kind of production last season.
Guard – Lazar Stefanovic (Senior)
Originally from Serbia, Stefanovic joined the Bruins last season after two solid years at Utah. He put up decent seasons in the Pac-12, averaging 11.5 points and 6.1 rebounds as a full-time starter last season. It’s possible he plays a different role this year with new options in the frontcourt, though that 39% mark from outside the arc will certainly keep him in lineups.
Guard – Sebastian Mack (Sophomore)
Another important piece of last season’s puzzle, Mack played rather well as a true freshman for the Bruins after being another 4-star addition. His first season of college ball saw him accumulate 12.1 points and 3.6 rebounds per game, albeit with some rough raw shooting figures. Mack started all but three games last season but could see a major role off the bench this year even after securing All-Freshman honors.
Center – Aday Mara (Sophomore)
Yet another piece of last season’s highly-regarded recruiting class, Mara is a 7’3 center from Spain who certainly has untapped potential with the Bruins. He started a few games last season and averaged just 3.5 points and 1.9 rebounds, mostly assuming a backup role behind Adem Bona. With Bona now gone and new faces in the frontcourt, Mara has a chance for a more significant role if he can increase his offensive production.
Forward – William Kyle III (Junior)
Certainly an underrated addition, Kyle joins the Bruins after two great seasons at South Dakota State. He really stood out as a sophomore, averaging 13.1 points and 6.6 rebounds while leading the Summit League with a 62% shooting percentage. Kyle also blocked 1.6 shots per game and was Defensive Player of the Year and Tournament MVP in the Summit League; it’s all about how his production translates to the power conference level.