UCLA's timeline to the top

[KM44]

So as a Bruins fan, I am admittedly optimistic, but with the recent transfer of the Wear twins along with a solid recruiting class, I can't help but think that UCLA is back on the climb to the top. We have good players at every age group (not just seniors and freshman that leave after one year like in 2009) and they look like they could all fit together. My guess would be next season they compete for the Pac-10 (probably win) and get ousted in the 2nd round of the tournament/ Maybe the sweet 16 if we get lucky. The year after that, though, I could see them making a run for the final 4.

Depth chart:
Jones/Anderson
Lamb/Carlino
Honeycutt/Recruit?
Wear/Nelson/Lane
Smith/Wear/Stover

This is assuming that Malcolm Lee leaves after next year as a junior and Honeycutt stays. If Smith loses weight and Nelson/Lane/Wears keep on progressing, we could have one of the best frontcourts in the nation if not the best. Lamb will probably be a prototypical UCLA guard by this point in time and Carlino/Jones should be well on their way to being formidable guards. Lets say we land a nice SF in the 2011 class (crossing fingers for Dawson or Nash), UCLA could be one of the best teams in the nation once again. Any thoughts?

[BarnesTheSavior]

I'm just curious, how did you guys fall from making Final Fours every season to where you were last season so quickly? Was it a combination of recruiting and the early entrants or something else? Not trying to start something here as if you want me to answer why I believe Carolina was down last season, I will. It's that I don't pay too much attention to UCLA and the next thing I know, they can't even make the NIT. The Pac-10 has been rather horrid top to bottom lately so it shouldn't be too difficult to rise to the top again.

Good luck with the Wears twins. I wish them well at UCLA; and concerning their pain in the ass daddy, well I hope the opposite.

[Polynice4Pippen]

I look forward to seeing some more Reeves Nelson next season. Kid's got a serious motor.

[jman3134]

It was only partially the recruiting. It's funny because ESPN recently ran an article dealing with your exact question, BarnesTheSavior. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=5167901

For a shortened version: Anderson never made the strides that everyone expected him to make after his freshman year. Lee has shown some signs, but was not quite ready to lead this year.

This began with the star recruiting class in 2008. J'Mison Morgan ended up dealing with injuries and became a bust. Drew Gordon and Howland did not see eye to eye. And, Jrue Holiday ended up leaving after one year.

That and the early entrants from other classes really are the reason the UCLA is in the situation it is in now.

I think that UCLA is on the right track with Lamb and Smith. However, they have a long way to go before they are a real contender. Honeycutt and Lee should be real good next year, but I would be surprised if the defense is there to make the NCAA tournament.

[miltk]

I'm just curious, how did you guys fall from making Final Fours every season to where you were last season so quickly? .

the problem this past year was a culmination of really bad circumstances. you have to start with recruiting, and that goes back to 05/06/07/08.

in 05, they recruited darren collison and luc mbah a moute, in 06 they recruited westbrook who was a 3*, in 07 they recruited kevin love and chase stanback, and in 08 they recruited the now famous #1 class on '08. As you can see, recruiting was VERY thin in 05/06/07.

westbrook, luc, and kluv left for the nba all in the same year, leaving a big hole on O and devastating their vaunted D. That set the stage for the following year that saw them in trouble and only collison(and shipp) to lead them. but also that following year came the #1 08 class led by holiday. holiday was okay playing out of position because darren decided to return. all the other frosh was looking hopeless. that 08 frosh team became, imo, the most overrated #1 frosh i can recall......holiday left, lee(a 5*) was overrated and immature as a player, anderson(a 4* or 5*) was marginally less better than your drew jr, gordon(5*) was a headache who was kicked off the team, and bobo morgan (4*/5*)was a total bust. this left last year's team in the hands of DII talent led by three bench players, mike roll, dragovic, and keefe(a total bust from 06) + a lee with talent but an undeveloped body and anderson(maybe the worst pg in ucla history).

in effect, ucla was stuck with a DII talent. no shooting, no scoring, bad pg, bad D, the worst ft shooting and ranking in the 300's of almost any offensive category you can pull up(including 60% ft, 30% 3pt). oh,,,and had no athletes. the success of that year thus rested on incoming frosh that produced two good but not defining players,,,honeycutt and nelson. 2010 saw the bruins with the following,,,a worthless senior class of 3 bench players who were asked to lead the team, no junior class, and stripped down overrated class of sophs with one manageable player and one player who affected the team negatively,,,and the frosh.

since ben's style doesn't attract 1A talent like unc or kentucky, he cannot have these zero impact classes. there must be seamless transition and good continuity so tthat he can build veteran teams. 09 and 10 were learning lesson s for Ben. where he thought he could teach D to anyone, he now realizes he still needs athletes to execute his D. in fact, it may be a while before he can bring together a team of D talents like hollins, mbah moute, westbrook, bozeman, afflalo, collison, mata all on one team..