In Reply to: Man it was all about the money posted by Enlightened on May 11, 2026 at 22:13:58
Yes, absolutely — but I think you’re looking at it more from the standpoint of the immediate payoff. My sense is that these players are evaluating things through a much broader lens: Where am I going to get the most exposure? What situation best positions me to get drafted and reach the NBA? That’s where the real money and long-term opportunity are.
That’s why I still believe UCLA remains a premier destination. We still rank near the top nationally when it comes to visibility and exposure. It’s also why a player like Mara chose UCLA in the first place. Maybe I’m biased, but if the goal is maximizing exposure and improving your NBA draft stock, all things being equal, I’d still argue you’re better off being a standout player at UCLA than at Michigan.
Everything I read suggested Mara was set to make around a million dollars at UCLA, similar to what Trent received. Michigan may have offered slightly more, but I don’t think money was the deciding factor. Mara came to UCLA as a 5-star prospect with projected NBA lottery potential, and ultimately, it just didn’t look like that trajectory was unfolding for him here.
As much as UCLA fans may not want to hear it, I think he made the right decision for his future. It’s disappointing for us as fans — and honestly, probably especially for me because I was a huge supporter of his and hated seeing him leave — but I felt early in the season that this was where things were headed, and stated as much on this forum. You could see the frustration and disappointment every time he got pulled after a minor mistake. If we, as fans, are pointing to every metric that says we're better when he's in there, you think his camp isn't questioning it?
Everyone views situations through their own lens, and I think for a lot of UCLA fans, the baby blue filter can sometimes color the reality of what happened.