Is it time for Mick Cronin and the UCLA Bruins to catch up to the game and start adding more experienced players in the transfer portal? UCLA has added some transfers this year in the portal but none with professional experience, which is what the LSU Tigers have done this week.
LSU added RJ Luis Jr. on Tuesday. Luis went undrafted in the 2025 NBA Draft and signed to play in the NBA G-League before heading back to the NCAA to join St. John’s. It’s not set in stone that Luis will be granted eligibility for the 2026-2027 season but he’s not the only vet that LSU added.
LSU Wire writer Zachary Neel covered Luis’ brief NBA journey.
“Luis went the G-League route, signing with the Utah Jazz and throwing his eligibility for the 2026 season into question,” Neel wrote. “Luis was later traded to the Boston Celtics in August as part of a package for forward Georges Niang. He didn’t appear in any G-League games and is now trying to jump-start his career again at the college level.”
The Tigers also added Brazilian center Marcio Santos who went undrafted in 2023 before going to play in the Euroleague and forward Saliou Dieng, a 2025 second round pick for the Cleveland Cavaliers. LSU rehired Will Wade back in March and have been willing to open their checkbook to land him experienced talent.
If you needed proof that experienced transfers make a huge difference, the Michigan Wolverines provided that this past season. Michigan’s roster was comprised of veteran contributors and it resulted in a national championship for the Wolverines.
Cronin and UCLA have yet to go that route. Sergej Macura is 22-years old and Filip Jovic is 21 but they don’t possess the high level professional experience that LSU has acquired with Luis and Santos.
Over the course of the last season, Cronin had criticized this trend in college basketball of experienced players coming back to the collegiate level. Could that sway those players from wanting to go to UCLA? Probably not, as long as the NIL deal was up to par. UCLA could still make a big swing on a transfer but the Bruins have yet to lure former professionals to Westwood.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Should UCLA basketball seeking more experienced players like LSU has?
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
