CBS Sports’ college basketball insider Jon Rothstein released an early prediction of the UCLA Bruins’ starting lineup for the incoming 2025-2026 season. Rothstein has already let on that he has high hopes in Mick Cronin and the Bruins for this season, placing UCLA at No. 6 in his offseason rankings last month.
Rothstein predicts a Donovan Dent, Skyy Clark, Eric Dailey, Tyler Bilodeau, Xavier Booker starting five for the Bruins next year, so let’s take a look at each of the five players he expects to get a pregame at Pauley Pavilion this season.
Guard: Donavan Dent
Dent transferred to the Bruins this offseason after spending three seasons with the New Mexico Lobos. He’s coming off a Mountain West Conference scoring title, with Dent averaging 20.4 points per game last season. While that number will likely drop in the Big Ten with UCLA this year, he adds scoring and experience which should keep UCLA in games.
Guard: Skyy Clark
After playing for three schools in three years, Clark decided to stick around with the UCLA Bruins after he posted career-best in his shooting efficiency. Clark started 34 games for the Bruins last year while shooting 45.8% from the field, 39.7% from three while dishing out 2.7 assists per game.
Forward: Eric Dailey
Dailey will be entering his second season with UCLA after spending his freshman year with Oklahoma State. Dailey averaged 11.4 points per game with 4.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals but the 6’8” Dailey should continue to progress as a rebounder and as a defender in year two under Cronin.
Forward: Tyler Bilodeau
After two years with Oregon State, Bilodeau joined the Bruins and put together another strong season. Bilodeau averaged 13.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per game and while Cronin likely wants to see more boards from his 6’9” forward, he gives the UCLA starting unit strength and length.
Forward: Xavier Booker
Booker was one of the top recruits coming out of the 2023 class but after two quiet seasons with the Spartans, the 6’11” forward finds himself in Westwood. Booker has averaged just 4.3 points and 2.0 rebounds in his college career but he was never able to establish himself in Tom Izzo’s rotation, playing just 11.2 minutes per game in his collegiate career.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: CBS Sports insider predicts Bruins’ starting five for 2025-2026 season
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
