College Basketball 2022-23 Countdown: No. 6 UCLA

Editor’s note: John Fanta is counting down his top 15 college basketball teams leading up to the start of the 2022-23 season. Checking in at No. 6 is UCLA. 

UCLA basketball is here to stay on the national map. The job that Mick Cronin has done in just three years in Westwood can’t be overstated. 

In 2018-19, UCLA finished 17-16 after head coach Steve Alford was fired in the middle of the season. The Bruins, representing a proud brand in college hoops history, were irrelevant. Enter Cronin from Cincinnati, and his impact immediately put the program back on track to the top of the Pac-12 and the country.

In three seasons under Cronin, the Bruins have gone 68-30 overall and 40-17 in conference games. Momentum really took hold in March 2021 with a wild run to the Final Four, followed up last season with a second consecutive appearance in the Sweet 16. 

Jaime Jaquez Jr. lifts UCLA over rival USC

UCLA defeated rival USC in last season’s Pac-12 Tournament, with Jaime Jaquez Jr. leading the way.

There are no signs of slowing down. Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Tyger Campbell make up one of the nation’s most experienced and talented duos, and Jaquez is primed to be an All-American candidate. Package them together with returning guards David Singleton and Jaylen Clark, and there is no shortage of experience on this team. There are more reasons to love the Bruins’ potential than just the returning talent, though.

UCLA ushers in the No. 13 recruiting class in the nation, according to 247 Sports, headlined by five-star freshmen Amari Bailey and Adem Bona. Bailey, the ninth-ranked recruit in the country, is a 6-foot-5 combo guard out of Sierra Canyon High School, while Bona, ranked No. 16 in the nation, is a 6-foot-9 center out of Prolific Prep in Napa. The way things have trended, it’s expected that both will start for the Bruins. The blend of winning experience with such highly-touted, potential one-and-done newcomers makes UCLA not just one of the most talented teams in college basketball, but potentially one of the most fun teams to watch.

While Johnny Juzang and Jules Bernard are gone, there’s still every reason to believe that the Bruins can be the front-runner in the Pac-12 and a major factor in March. UCLA has talent, but also has a leader in Cronin who prides himself on leading teams that are efficient. Last season, the Bruins were ranked in the top 16 in both KenPom adjusted offensive…