Why highly rated SoCal basketball players don't go to UCLA


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Posted by Dr.Bruin on April 09, 2025 at 14:44:11

Maybe because they aren't many worth recruiting, Only two highly rated HS players from SoCal since 2021 have averaged in double figures as a freshmen or soph and one of those did go to UCLA. There just haven't been that many really good prospects from SoCal in recent years.

Here are the highly rated (Top-50) SoCal players the last several seasons (excluding those who went away to prep schools):

2021 Peyton Watson
Jahmai Mashack

2022 Amari Bailey
Kijani Wright

2023 Jared McCain
Bronny James
Dusty Stromer

2024 Carter Bryant
Trent Perry
Isaiah Elohim

We got 30% of them. The rest haven't done much in college except McCain. Mashack never averaged more than 6 points a game in four seasons at Tennessee. So saying Cronin doesn't get SoCal recruits isn't exactly true. SoCal is no longer a good source of HS recruits, so there's a good reason he doesn't. Spend the scholarships on players from other areas and/or experienced proven transfers is the way to go.

So those of you complaining that Cronin doesn't get the local players just haven't been following HS ball here.


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