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The UCLA Bruins' roster looked depleted after the NCAA Tournament when five players declared for the NBA draft. Three were drafted, one got a Summer League contract and one is coming back.
Coach Michael Cronin will start his fifth season at the helm of the Bruins with a well-balanced squad. He has dipped into the transfer portal and had the good fortune of Adem Bona returning. He also lost Mac Etienne and Abramo Canka to the transfer portal.
This is the Bruins' last season in the Pac-12 as they're headed to the Big Ten next year alongside USC.
Their early season tournament will take them to the Maui Invitational, where they will play alongside the likes of; Syracuse, Gonzaga, Purdue, Marquette and Kansas.
UCLA roster and early season schedule for 2023-2024
Cronin welcomed the news that Adem Bona was withdrawing his name from the NBA draft and returning to UCLA.
The Bruins' season went to pieces after the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year got injured. They were eliminated by the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the Sweet 16.
Last season, the big man averaged 7.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 0.7 assists. His defensive ability will probably be the quality that Cronin will count on the most this season.
They lost Jaime Jaquez to Miami Heat, Amari Bailey to the Charlotte Hornets, Jaylen Clark to the Timberwolves, David Singleton to the Hawks on an Exhibit 10 contract and Tyger Campbell to a Summer League contract with Orlando Magic. That is a lot of experience to replace.
The returning players were not starters by any means and aren't expected to be this year either. They include Will McClendon, Kenneth Nwuba and Dylan Andrews.
UCLA added shooting guard Ilane Fibleuil from Pole France. He averaged 10.0 ppg, 1.3 apg and 3.4 rpg last season. The Bruins also signed Serbian guard Lazar Stefanovic from the University of Utah. He averaged 10.3 ppg, 2.7 apg and 3.0 rpg last season.
UCLA has been linked to talented Spanish center Aday Mara from Casademont Zaragoza, but the move has been marred by technicalities. He tried to terminate his contract with the club to join UCLA but has not been successful.
Alongside these transfers, the Bruins recruited freshmen Sebastian Mack, Devin Williams and Brandon Williams. This brings the total of new players to five. The starting lineup will have distinctly new faces.
The Bruins have reached the Sweet 16 three times in the last three years and even managed a Final Four appearance in 2021. In that time, they have also won one Pac-12 title and been to two championship games.
With the return of Adem Bona, their transfer portal signings and a talented cast of freshmen, it wouldn't be wise to put it past Cronin to repeat that feat.
The Pac-12 regular season schedule will be announced later in the year, but the early season Maui Tournament will pit the Bruins against top opponents.
