Post by less1brain on Sept 6, 2021 11:32:41 GMT -8
basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/news/rivals-roundtable-2024-rankings-five-stars-cason-wallace
They don't discuss the strong probability that LSU will be on probation and there's a decent chance Louisville will be as well.
They're right, though: No way to know what Traore is going to do until he does it, but it seems like he and Iwuchuckwu are the two bigs that UCLA has the best shot at in the class of 2022.
I keep seeing questions on scholarship count. UCLA should, in theory, have 4 rides open up if Riley, Bernard and Singleton decide not to use that bonus year of eligibility and if one of Jaquez or Juzang turn pro. Of course, there's a lot of silly Internet talk that Peyton Watson will be one and done.
I doubt Riley, Bernard or Singleton come back for a 5th season: They will all have pro careers somewhere, with Bernard likely the best NBA prospect among them. Riley turns 24 on December 21 and will have his degree.
I also think both Jaquez and Juzang will leave.
I think Watson comes back. Zero chance he beats out the SR Bernard, who's UCLA's best perimeter defender and showed improved ballhandling, shooting and decision-making, especially down the stretch when it counts the most (my guess, a healthy Bernard = UCLA v Baylor last year for the NC). Cronin has to have a gun put to his head to start a FR and Watson is a "I'm willing to just help out where, when and ask asked" kind of guy. He wowed some scouts at workouts for the USA Team and they looked at his metrics. But they ignored how he played in the actual games, the Kyrie Irving All-Star game and in high school: Right now, he's not ready for the spotlight and there's no family pressure to go that way.
So, I think Cronin will ultimately bring in 5 guys for 2022. One might be another transfer in the mold of Johnson, a grad transfer with experience to make up for the loss of 3 SRs and 2 JRs.
There's also a chance that one of Etienne or Nwuba will transfer if Traore comes: Johnson will be a 5th year SR in his second year in the program and Traore will likely beat him out because he does look like a legit one and done player. I have no reason to think they'll transfer, I'm just speculating based on common sense, with Etienne perhaps being the more likely because of how highly he was rated in high school.
There is zero chance Jake Kyman will transfer. ZERO.
If Tyger Campbell doesn't look for greenback pastures in Europe, I see this lineup for 2022 (being optimistic about recruiting):
Campbell
Bailey (sorry, Mick, you'll have to take it and like it)
Watson
Mitchell
Traore
Uh, oh: 3 FR and a SO in the starting lineup. Welcome to big boy recruiting, Mick. Hope you're ready for it.
Bench:
Andrews
McClendon
Clark (he might actually start and keep Mitchell on the bench; he'll be a JR and I think he's a future NBA starter; Mitchell's pretty raw and Clark's said to have really improved his offensive game and will likely be the best defender on the team if Watson isn't)
Kyman
Etienne
Nwuba
Johnson (he can block shots; that's not the same as all-around defense)
That's a pretty deep roster right there with 12 guys.
And we know Campbell will be gone and yes Bailey, Watson and Traore will go. Clark and Mitchell might be ready to go too.
I don't think Dylan Andrews will be one and done.
So Cronin might be receptive to a grad transfer guard.
Since 2020-21 didn't count as one of a player's 4 years of eligibility, Kyman will play a 5th year at UCLA. He might never leave Westwood. Can we say "Grad Assistant?" Technically, Nwuba can stay as well.
But we can see that almost all of UCLA's offers to 2023 players have been to guards or wings. So he and his staff know what's going to happen over the next 2 years.
Or, better safe than sorry.
One final note: The one and done rule will go away either in the 2023 NBA Draft or more likely the 2024 NBA Draft. That's going to have a huge impact on recruiting and might be a reason to bring in some guys not ranked in the top 50. 10 guys ranked between 50-100 might be 10 of the top 20 players entering college in a given year.
If Cronin wants to get started early, he should make an offer to Jeremiah Nyarko, 6-9 G (UCLA roster style) at St. John Bosco. Chris Watson would be my choice #2.
I really love Shy Odom at Sierra Canyon and so does Amari Bailey, who continues to recruit Odom to UCLA even if UCLA hasn't offered him a ride. I wouldn't mind if Bailey won that battle.
The two play together like they have ESP: They each get 5 assists a game to each other.
They don't discuss the strong probability that LSU will be on probation and there's a decent chance Louisville will be as well.
They're right, though: No way to know what Traore is going to do until he does it, but it seems like he and Iwuchuckwu are the two bigs that UCLA has the best shot at in the class of 2022.
I keep seeing questions on scholarship count. UCLA should, in theory, have 4 rides open up if Riley, Bernard and Singleton decide not to use that bonus year of eligibility and if one of Jaquez or Juzang turn pro. Of course, there's a lot of silly Internet talk that Peyton Watson will be one and done.
I doubt Riley, Bernard or Singleton come back for a 5th season: They will all have pro careers somewhere, with Bernard likely the best NBA prospect among them. Riley turns 24 on December 21 and will have his degree.
I also think both Jaquez and Juzang will leave.
I think Watson comes back. Zero chance he beats out the SR Bernard, who's UCLA's best perimeter defender and showed improved ballhandling, shooting and decision-making, especially down the stretch when it counts the most (my guess, a healthy Bernard = UCLA v Baylor last year for the NC). Cronin has to have a gun put to his head to start a FR and Watson is a "I'm willing to just help out where, when and ask asked" kind of guy. He wowed some scouts at workouts for the USA Team and they looked at his metrics. But they ignored how he played in the actual games, the Kyrie Irving All-Star game and in high school: Right now, he's not ready for the spotlight and there's no family pressure to go that way.
So, I think Cronin will ultimately bring in 5 guys for 2022. One might be another transfer in the mold of Johnson, a grad transfer with experience to make up for the loss of 3 SRs and 2 JRs.
There's also a chance that one of Etienne or Nwuba will transfer if Traore comes: Johnson will be a 5th year SR in his second year in the program and Traore will likely beat him out because he does look like a legit one and done player. I have no reason to think they'll transfer, I'm just speculating based on common sense, with Etienne perhaps being the more likely because of how highly he was rated in high school.
There is zero chance Jake Kyman will transfer. ZERO.
If Tyger Campbell doesn't look for greenback pastures in Europe, I see this lineup for 2022 (being optimistic about recruiting):
Campbell
Bailey (sorry, Mick, you'll have to take it and like it)
Watson
Mitchell
Traore
Uh, oh: 3 FR and a SO in the starting lineup. Welcome to big boy recruiting, Mick. Hope you're ready for it.
Bench:
Andrews
McClendon
Clark (he might actually start and keep Mitchell on the bench; he'll be a JR and I think he's a future NBA starter; Mitchell's pretty raw and Clark's said to have really improved his offensive game and will likely be the best defender on the team if Watson isn't)
Kyman
Etienne
Nwuba
Johnson (he can block shots; that's not the same as all-around defense)
That's a pretty deep roster right there with 12 guys.
And we know Campbell will be gone and yes Bailey, Watson and Traore will go. Clark and Mitchell might be ready to go too.
I don't think Dylan Andrews will be one and done.
So Cronin might be receptive to a grad transfer guard.
Since 2020-21 didn't count as one of a player's 4 years of eligibility, Kyman will play a 5th year at UCLA. He might never leave Westwood. Can we say "Grad Assistant?" Technically, Nwuba can stay as well.
But we can see that almost all of UCLA's offers to 2023 players have been to guards or wings. So he and his staff know what's going to happen over the next 2 years.
Or, better safe than sorry.
One final note: The one and done rule will go away either in the 2023 NBA Draft or more likely the 2024 NBA Draft. That's going to have a huge impact on recruiting and might be a reason to bring in some guys not ranked in the top 50. 10 guys ranked between 50-100 might be 10 of the top 20 players entering college in a given year.
If Cronin wants to get started early, he should make an offer to Jeremiah Nyarko, 6-9 G (UCLA roster style) at St. John Bosco. Chris Watson would be my choice #2.
I really love Shy Odom at Sierra Canyon and so does Amari Bailey, who continues to recruit Odom to UCLA even if UCLA hasn't offered him a ride. I wouldn't mind if Bailey won that battle.
The two play together like they have ESP: They each get 5 assists a game to each other.