Mick Cronin has high hopes for UCLA's top weapon

Mick Cronin has an intriguing group of players on the UCLA roster for the 2025-26 NCAA season. The veteran coach raved about Donovan Dent, a player he thinks can take the team’s offense to new heights. 

Dent, a transfer from New Mexico, isn’t the only player who has Cronin dreaming big about the upcoming season. Eric Dailey Jr. has turned a lot of heads within the Bruins, and Cronin has high expectations for the guard’s junior season.

Just like Dent, Cronin believes Dailey can take the team to new heights in the upcoming season. Talking with Jon Rothstein on “Inside College Basketball,” Cronin highlighted Dailey’s potential to make a strong impact on the floor.

Mick Cronin shares high expectations for Eric Dailey Jr. 

“I think last year Eric had a lot of flashes for us and it’s a progression for him of how do I utilize him and how does he pick his spots?” Cronin said. “He’s a guy that they used at center a lot at Oklahoma because they were small, but that’s not who he is. He literally had a practice this morning and had 50 points where he never missed a shot.”

UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin yells at his bench during the first half against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the CBS Sports Classic matchup at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA.

The Bruins have renewed hopes for 2025-26, and Cronin is already warning opponents about what’s coming. He feels quite confident about his team’s chances.

They look like a much stronger team than they were last season, at least on paper. Now, Coach Cronin and his new stars will have to prove that they’re much more than just hype.