In Reply to: CBB insider calls UCLA the 'most Cronin-esque team' in years posted by mh on October 02, 2026 at 11:03:31
Last year he had us as a top-10 team, which we obviously never came close to. As many of you will remember, I wasn't nearly as enthusiastic about the team as he was.
Having said that, I agree with him this year. This feels like the most Cronin-esque team we've seen in a while, and honestly, that was my biggest concern heading into last season. I knew we were going to struggle defensively.
I know a lot of people are concerned about the lack of size in the frontcourt, and I am too. But IMO, what we lack in height, we make up for with athleticism and toughness.
It's no secret that I wasn't the biggest Tyler fan. Don't get me wrong, he's a fantastic offensive player, and he always gave a significant effort. But he simply didn't have the strength or athleticism to defend bigger guys inside. I know plenty of people will disagree with me, but I really do think it's a case of addition by subtraction this year.
Booker has his own issues defending the frontcourt, but I have high hopes for the undersized guys. I think we'll see both Jovic and Williams get substantial minutes at the 5.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not predicting a final-four run. But I don't think they are exciting the first round again this year.