Insider Predicts UCLA's 25-26 Starting Five

The lineup includes three returners -- Clark, Dailey and Bilodeau -- and two transfers -- Dent and Booker. Rothstein detailed how impressed he was with the entire squad when he visited Westwood last week.

"Mick Cronin has been coaching a long time, but he has never had a point guard as a head coach with the ceiling and passing capabilities of New Mexico transfer, Donovan Dent," Rothstein said in  his reaction to UCLA on X (formerly Twitter). "[Dent] might be pound-for-pound, inch-for-inch, a top two point guard in college basketball in 25-26, along with Purdue's Braden Smith."

Rothstein's praise didn't stop with Dent, though. The Bruins' squad overall impressed the insider.

"UCLA also has two other players in addition to Dent, Eric Dailey and Tyler Bilodeau, who look like they boast All-Big Ten-caliber potential," Rothstein added. "You add in reliable, veteran guard Skyy Clark, and UCLA has a team that should push Purdue and Michigan at the top of the Big Ten standings.

"What are the x-factors for the Bruins in 25-26? Two players in particular, Michigan State transfer, Xavier Booker, and former McDonald's All-American, Trent Perry.

"If Booker, who is now playing as a five-man instead of the four, like he did at Michigan State, can give UCLA productivity at the five and more space at center, and Perry can play for the Bruins at the type of role that Denzel Aberdeen last year at Florida, UCLA should have, unequivocally, its best team since the Bruins were 27-4 at the end of the 22-23 regular season prior to season-ending injuries to both Jaylen Clark and Adem Bona, this could be Mick Cronin's best team since the 22-23 college basketball season.

"But you know just as well as I do, this is only July."