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UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin got brutally honest about why players choose specific schools to represent throughout their collegiate careers.
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Cronin is going through the 23rd season of his head coaching career, his seventh with the Bruins. He has helped the program be consistent with NCAA Tournament contention, reaching the Final Four in 2021 and two more Sweet 16 appearances in 2022 and 2023.
Cronin has seen the world of college basketball significantly change over the years, especially with NIL playing a big role. He talked about that aspect of the game having a major impact on how he approaches recruiting and landing talents to the program, via reporter Ben Bolch.
“Guys pick schools because they get paid, so these neutral-site games help raise money. So next spring, when we sign a guy in the portal and you go interview him and he tells you he really bonded with me, and I’ve known him for two weeks, you’ll know why he came,” Cronin said.
What lies ahead for Mick Cronin, UCLA
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
It’s logical for Mick Cronin to see the ever-changing landscape of college basketball and adapt to it while continuing his success. With the UCLA Bruins, he has done a solid job at that.
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UCLA is off to a 7-2 start to the 2025-26 campaign. They have earned strong wins over the Washington Huskies and Oregon Ducks while losing to the Arizona Wildcats and California Golden Bears.
The Bruins have been impressive throughout most of their contests in non-conference play. They are averaging 77.2 points per game on offense while conceding 65 points per game on defense. As a result, they are beating opponents by 12.2 points per contest.
Five players are scoring in double-digits for UCLA to begin the season. Tyler Bilodeau leads the way with 15.6 points and 4.7 rebounds, Skyy Clark came next with 12.7 points and 2.7 rebounds, while Donovan Dent is providing 12 points and 6.4 assists.
The No. 25 Bruins will continue preparations for their upcoming matchup, being on the road. They face the No. 8 Gonzaga Bulldogs on Dec. 13 at 11:30 p.m. ET.
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