In Reply to: Notable NBA Draft decisions yet to be made posted by mh on May 28, 2025 at 09:35:30
Mick Cronin, UCLA Shift Focus to 5-Star Christian Collins
UCLA’s staff prioritized Christian Collins at EYBL Session 2, signaling a strategic shift after cooling on local guards Jason Crowe Jr., Tajh Ariza, and Brandon McCoy. The 6’7” Collins (#3 in ESPN’s 2026 class) offers rare versatility: a blend of guard skills, defensive range, and offensive polish unseen since Kyle Anderson.
New offers to 2027 PG Anderson Diaz, 2026 SG Austin Goosby, and Jaylen Clark-esque wing Anthony Felesi reflect Cronin’s push to diversify. But Collins remains the crown jewel—a chance to rebound from misses on Brayden Burries and Nik Khamenia (now buried at Duke).
Why it matters: Landing Collins isn’t just about talent. It’s Cronin’s last stand to prove UCLA can still lock down elite SoCal prospects. Fail here, and the “pipeline” becomes pure fiction.