In the spirit of Bruin excellence, coach Mick Cronin once again brings in a talented class of four transfers and four freshmen – including a 17-year-old already named to the Julius Erving Award Watch List – to match with three returning starters for No. 22 UCLA men’s basketball. Daily Bruin Sports contributor Zach King breaks down a Bruin squad hoping to spread blue-and-gold victory ahead of the 2026-27 season.

Guards

Cronin has never shied away from stressing how important the one and two positions are on the roster sheet. This year, the head honcho brings in a one-two punch of athleticism, defense, shooting and slashing ability within his guard rotation that may just be the best he’s brought to Westwood yet.

Unlike last season, when the Bruins turned to veterans Donovan Dent and Skyy Clark to lead the charge, this year’s backcourt will be headlined by a familiar face finally getting his opportunity to run the show.

Enter East Los Angeles’ finest: Trent Perry.

After spending his freshman campaign confined to the bench, Perry emerged as one of UCLA’s most dependable offensive weapons last season, averaging 12.6 points per game and establishing himself as a legitimate scoring threat.

His transformation was perhaps best illustrated against Penn State on Jan. 14, when the West Covina local erupted for a career-high 30 points, including a perfect 12-for-12 performance from the charity stripe. Perry’s 25-point performance against Indiana on Jan. 31 – including a game-tying three to send it to overtime – and 22-point performance against Michigan State in the Big Ten tournament showcased his ability to rise to the challenge when his number is called.

Standing at 6-foot-4, the former California Mr. Basketball from Harvard-Westlake School combines a physical downhill approach with the footwork and body control to finish through contact, allowing him to attack larger defenders without sacrificing efficiency. Defensively, Perry’s size and physicality make him a valuable asset against opposing guards, particularly when Cronin wants to apply pressure at the point of attack in pressing situations.

Cronin is hoping Perry can make yet another leap in his shooting ability. Across his first two seasons, Perry’s field goal percentage rose from 36.9% to 43.6%, including rising from 34.3% to 39.2% beyond the arc.

But if you’re worried Perry may not have enough explosiveness to get the Bruins over the hump himself in a tough Big Ten conference, Cronin made sure to bring in some Texas-sized firepower.

Former Texas Tech Red Raider Jaylen Petty was one of the best perimeter shooters in the country last year, averaging 9.9 points and shooting 40.6% from the field and 37.5% from beyond the arc as a freshman while playing excellently in tandem with guard Christian Anderson Jr. and All-Big 12 forward JT Toppin. Where Perry thrives through physicality and calculated attacks downhill, Petty can change the pace of a possession in an instant, boasting explosive athleticism and a stark ability to create space off the dribble with his 6-foot-1 frame.

Off the bench, sophomore Azavier “Stink” Robinson arrives from Butler with a reputation built around defensive intensity and athleticism.

At 6-foot-2, Robinson provides UCLA with another physical presence on the perimeter, capable of pressuring ball-handlers, disrupting passing lanes and bringing energy to a defensive scheme that has long served as the foundation of Cronin’s program.

His offensive contributions could determine how much flexibility Cronin has with his guard rotation. While Robinson’s primary value lies in his defense, an ability to shoot from the perimeter would make him significantly harder to leave unattended and allow UCLA to experiment with different backcourt combinations. Robinson averaged 6.1 points and 1.9 rebounds on 47.0% from the field and 43.3% from beyond the arc, a great baseline for growth into another multifaceted weapon opposite returning defensive stud junior Eric Freeny.

Forwards

If the Bruins’ guards offer a combination of familiar talent and newfound explosiveness, their forward rotation might be the most intriguing collection of players on the roster.

And at the center of that intrigue is a teenager who has already attracted global attention.

Freshman Nikola Kusturica arrives in Westwood with expectations that would be lofty for any college basketball player, let alone one who is just 17 years old.

The 6-foot-9 Serbian has already been named to the Julius Erving Award Watch List, recognizing the nation’s premier small forwards. Kusturica averaged 24.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists at the FIBA U17 World Cup, including a 37-point performance against the United States in the championship game – an international resume that has provided plenty of reason for excitement about how high his ceiling in Westwood could be.

His combination of length, mobility and shot-blocking instincts gives UCLA a potentially disruptive defensive wing presence, while his ability to stretch the floor presents matchup problems for smaller forwards. Alongside 10-point performances in both games, Kusturica totaled four blocks and five steals in the Bruins’ exhibition matchups against California Baptist and San Diego.

The question surrounding Kusturica is how quickly his offensive decision-making and playmaking can develop against older and more experienced collegiate competition, especially in a physical Big Ten conference.

For all his promise, the freshman will need to demonstrate that he can both consistently create opportunities for teammates while also finding shots outside of his excellent driving ability.

Fortunately for the Serbian standout, he will have an experienced Bruin alongside him.

Senior Eric Dailey Jr. returns for his third season in Westwood, this time with the opportunity to settle into a role that could maximize his offensive versatility.

After spending much of last season operating on the wing, Dailey could finally find a more natural home at the power forward position. Standing at 6-foot-8 and weighing 235 pounds, Dailey possesses the strength to compete against opposing frontcourts while retaining the perimeter skills that have made him one of UCLA’s most versatile offensive players.

He averaged a career-high 11.6 points per game last season and demonstrated his ability to deliver in consequential moments, scoring 20 points against UCF in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Additionally, his rebounding ability will be crucial for a team that had trouble keeping opposing teams off the glass.

Off the bench, the Bruins have both a familiar face and a promising newcomer capable of providing depth on the wings and in the paint. Senior Brandon Williams enters his fourth year in Westwood, having endured a collegiate career mired with both promise and inconsistent time in the rotation. After starting 14 games as a freshman, the former four-star recruit returned to the rotation last season, appearing in 34 contests and averaging 2.6 points and 1.9 rebounds across 12.2 minutes per game. Although Williams has yet to develop into the New York-style offensive threat he showcased at Christ the King High School in Queens, New York, his 6-foot-7, 235-pound frame makes him a physical and versatile defender capable of guarding multiple positions.

Joining Williams is freshman Joe “Jojo” Philon III, a 6-foot-8, 190-pound wing from Montverde Academy whose athleticism and defensive upside could make him one of UCLA’s more intriguing developmental prospects. Philon brings the length, explosiveness and ability to finish above the rim, while his experience at one of the nation’s premier high school basketball programs should help ease his transition to the collegiate game.

However, the freshman’s slender frame and developing offensive skill set could limit his immediate contributions against more physically imposing Big Ten opponents. Yet, if Philon can channel any of the ball-handling or slashing skills of his cousin, SEC All-Freshmen guard Labaron Philon Jr., the Bruins could have yet another versatile and dangerous offensive option.

Following UCLA’s struggles against the Big Ten’s more imposing frontcourts last season, Cronin called upon his assistant coach to find aggressive players. Enter: junior Sergej Macura. The 6-foot-9, 225-pound Slovenian arrives in Westwood after spending last season at Mississippi State, bringing another international presence to the frontcourt.

Centers

UCLA’s center position was among the team’s greatest uncertainties entering last season.

And while the Bruins enter this campaign with a familiar face anchoring the paint, the questions surrounding their interior play have hardly disappeared.

Senior Xavier Booker returns for his second season in Westwood after arriving from Michigan State as a former five-star recruit. The 6-foot-11 big man showed flashes of the talent that once made him one of the nation’s most coveted prospects, averaging 7.3 points per game while shooting 54.7% from the field and an impressive 43.3% from beyond the arc, improving as the season marched on.

These numbers illustrate what makes Booker such an unusual offensive weapon. Rather than operating exclusively with his back to the basket, Booker can stretch opposing defenses to the perimeter, attack closeouts and create opportunities with his excellent passing and ball-handling.

His versatility was particularly evident during UCLA’s NCAA tournament matchup against UConn, where his 13-point performance showcased his ability facilitate from the frontcourt in a multidimensional way.

However, the same concerns that followed Booker to Westwood remain relevant. Despite his height and athleticism, the senior has struggled to establish himself as a consistently dominant rebounder, particularly against larger and more physical frontcourts.

His defensive positioning and ability to protect the paint will also be tested as the Bruins face some of the nation’s most formidable interior players.

That’s where sophomore Filip Jović enters the picture.

The Auburn transfer brings an entirely different approach to UCLA’s frontcourt – one rooted in physicality, rebounding and an unmistakably aggressive style of play.

Standing at 6-foot-8 and weighing 245 pounds, Jović lacks Booker’s height and perimeter shooting prowess but compensates with a willingness to initiate contact and battle for position beneath the basket.

His bruising style could give Cronin the traditional interior presence UCLA occasionally lacked last season. And, in juxtaposition with Macura, who still has some offensive development to be undergone, Jović is an excellent finisher at the basket, averaging 6.3 points and four rebounds on 64% shooting from the field last year.