In Reply to: Cronin has stated he wants 13 players for next season's roster. posted by ej on May 04, 2026 at 09:31:18
So here’s my question: how much effort do you all think Cronin is actually putting into bringing in a true big? I agree that we need one, but I’m not convinced it’s a priority for him.
If you look at UCLA’s rosters during Mick Cronin’s tenure—and exclude 2019–20 since he inherited that team—the pattern is pretty telling:
2020–21: Hill (C/F), Riley (F), Smith (F), Etienne (F), Nwuba (F/C)
2021–22: Johnson (C), Riley (F), Etienne (F), Nwuba (F/C)
2022–23: Bona (F), Etienne (F), Nwuba (C/F)
2023–24: Buyuktuncel (F), Bona (F), Nwuba (F/C), Mara (C), Williams (F)
2024–25: Mara (C), Williams (F), Kyle (F/C), Bilodeau (F)
2025–26: Booker (F/C), Peoples (C/F), Jamerson (F/C), Bilodeau (F)
Out of those “true bigs,” how many actually played significant minutes—especially the ones brought in as transfers? That’s really the key question.
To me, it suggests that a traditional 6'11”–7-footer isn’t something Cronin prioritizes, or at least not in the way fans might expect. Based on his track record, it seems more likely he’ll target a versatile, athletic 6'6”-type player who can defend multiple positions rather than a true back-to-the-basket big.