After wrapping his college career with the UCLA Bruins earlier this year, guard Donovan Dent announced his retirement from basketball on Sunday. Dent was a key contributor for the Bruins in his lone season in Westwood but decided to end things there, rather than seek out professional opportunities.
Dent wasn’t invited to the NBA Draft Combine but he didn’t try any other pro avenues, retiring just months after being named an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection. Dent came to UCLA with big expectations, after putting up 20.4 points per game with New Mexico in 2024-2025, Dent saw his scoring decrease to 13.3 with the Bruins.
While his scoring wasn’t quite as advertised, Dent was one of the best playmakers in all of college basketball, dishing out 7.6 assists per game compared to just 1.8 turnovers. Mick Cronin relied heavily on Dent to run the Bruin offense, with Dent delivered a few different standout performances in his one season with UCLA.
“As of right now, I’m not pursuing no professional career, and I don’t see myself doing it anytime soon. So I guess you can say that I’m retired,” Dent said on Monday. “It was a long talk with my family after the season. I wanted them to make sure they understood my side of it, they supported me through it.”
Even though his playing days are behind him, don’t think you can keep Dent away from the sport. He’s back in New Mexico helping young basketball players train, giving back to the community that helped him become a college basketball star.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Former UCLA Bruin Donovan Dent not seeking a professional career
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
