UCLA's 2026 Recruiting Board: Small Forwards

UCLA men's basketball coach Mick Cronin hasn't typically operated outside of the transfer portal when looking to upgrade his squad in recent years, but that doesn't mean he isn't putting in work on the recruiting trail.

Bringing in talented freshmen is an integral part of developing sustained success in a basketball program. Cronin and the Bruins currently have 16 outgoing offers to recruits in the class of 2026. Let's break each of them down, moving on to the small forwards.

Tajh Ariza, 5-Star, Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco

Ariza is one of the most highly touted recruits in his class. Son of former NBA player Trevor Ariza, the 6-9, 195-pound forward holds 13 offers from some of the most prestigious programs in the nation. He ranks 20th on ESPN's Top 100 and is the second small forward in the nation, according to 247Sports.

It's unclear at the moment where Ariza is leaning, but he does have visits lined up with USC, Oregon and North Carolina in September.

Anthony Thompson, 5-Star, Hudson (Ohio) Western Reserve Academy

Thompson comes in as the No. 1 recruit in the state of Ohio and third small forward in the nation. Among his 32 total offers, reports suggest he's leaning towards Kentucky, Texas, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio State, North Carolina and Purdue.

Adam Finkelstein, director of scouting or 247Sports, evaluated Thompson. Here's what he had to say:

"A skilled lefty forward with extreme shot-making potential, and length to match, Thompson is a tremendously gifted offensively prospect. The southpaw leans back into a high release that is virtually unblocked and allows him to make tough shots with very little separation. He’s capable of making both threes and pull-ups in bunches, and is already a potential shooter. He also has good positional size, measuring in at over 6-foot-7 with shoes on and then a massive 7-foot-2-plus wingspan. The overlap of that length and shooting ability is very rare, especially for such a young player.

"While his core competency is his ability to make jumpers, we’re gradually starting to see him put more pressure on the rim. He has a terrific right hand in the paint and also the ability to decelerate and maneuver the paint with euros and long strides. He’s young for his grade and turns 17 in August before his senior year of high school. Not surprisingly, he’s also still growing into his body and has a bit of a baby face, which speaks to his still untapped potential. As his frame evolves, he needs to work on being more physical and also cognizant of his body language at times. Overall though, he’s an immense talent."

Anthony Felesi, 4-Star, Hurricane (Utah) Utah Prep

Felesi is a small forward prospect who is more closely interested in the Bruins. Of his 12 offers, he is reportedly weighing between UCLA and Louisville.

His other extended offers include BYU, Cal, Gonzaga, LSU, Oregon, UNLV, USF, Utah, Utah State and Villanova.

Make sure to bookmark UCLA Bruins On SI to get all your daily UCLA Bruins news, analysis and more!

Read more on UCLA football and their momentous second season in the Big Ten and under DeShaun Foster here. While you're here, check out all things UCLA basketball and Mick Cronin improving the Bruins through the transfer portal here.

UCLA Bruins Latest News