UCLA Basketball: Bench Bruin Emerging As Behind-The-Scenes Leader

Sophomore UCLA Bruins men's basketball guard Will McClendon may have scored just eight points on 3-of-6 shooting from the floor (2-of-4 from deep) off the bench for his team's 71-63 win over the Oregon State University Beavers Thursday night, but his impact goes beyond his box score contributions.

The game's three highest-scoring Bruins explained how McClendon has emerged as an essential presence on and off the court, per UCLA Communications.

“Will’s one of the leaders as well," Dylan Andrews said. "He’s a guy you just want to be around, his IQ for the game is crazy, and when his shot is falling, it’s really hard to stop him. He’s quick man, he turns the heat up.”

“It’s amazing because people don’t get to see a lot about Will," Adem Bona explained. "Will is one of the leaders on the team, he’s been for like three years now. He brings a lot of energy off the bench, he talks a lot, plays hard, so I think Will’s a big value to the team right now.”

“Will’s a great guy, he impacts the game a lot," Lazar Stefanovic noted. "He comes off the bench and is great defensively. I think he sensed to get steals or at least tip the ball, and that’s really important. He’s a really smart guy, when the team runs, he talks. He’s really important for our game, and when his shots fall down, it feels really good. He’s a great shooter.”