UCLA Transfer PG Deemed a Top Impact Newcomer

After finishing their inaugural season in the Big Ten Conference with a 23-11 record and eventually bowing out in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to Tennessee, the UCLA Bruins addressed a few major holes in the offseason, most notably by acquiring Mountain West Player of the Year and former New Mexico guard Donovan Dent through the transfer portal.

The No. 3 ranked player in the portal, Dent addresses a major issue Mick Cronin's Bruins had (especially) down the stretch of last season -- offensive efficiency and creation.

ESPN released it's July men's NCAA basketball early top 25 rankings of impact newcomers and Dent made the list, ranking 15th in the nation. Here's what Jeff Borzello said about Dent and his move to Westwood.

"Dent was one of the best players in the portal, and he should be one of the best point guards in the country once again. His usage will drop given the backcourt talent around him, but he's going to be the primary offensive playmaker after ranking in the top 15 nationally in scoring and assists last season and maintaining his production against New Mexico's best opponents."

In an interview on the Big Ten Network, Cronin had high praise for the former New Mexico guard.

"The Mountain West was a tough league," Cronin said. "At the end of the year (it took Maryland) everything they had, a buzzer-beater to beat Colorado State. We had to play Utah State in the tournament. There's some good teams in that league and [Dent] was far and away the best player in that conference.

"Point guard's a very position. It just makes your life a lot easier if you have a guy with the ball that can really do a lot of things."

ESPN College Basketball Analyst and legendary head coach Dick Vitale included the Bruins in his list of the 12 best men's college basketball teams.

Vitale ranked UCLA as the 10th-best team in the country, noting their success in the transfer portal, headlined by the acquisition of Dent, as the main reason the Bruins are a team to look out for ahead of the next season.

"Mick Cronin's Bruins keep grinding," Vitale wrote under UCLA's top-10 ranking. "Tyler Bilodeau and Eric Dailey Jr. headline a team loaded with talent, including transfers Donovan Dent, Steven Jamerson II and Xavier Booker. Look out Big Ten; this team is coming strong."

With Dent addressing a dire need for improvement offensively, the Bruins are primed to build off the momentum of their inaugural season in the Big Ten by proving to be a true contender in the college basketball stratosphere.