Where Bruins Rank in Top 25 After NBA Draft Withdrawal

NCAA basketball rosters are closer to being realized now more than ever as the deadline to withdrawal from the NBA Draft passed.

Though the UCLA Bruins were not affected by the deadline, their position on ESPN's top 25 rankings was.

Before the deadline, the Bruins were previously ranked 14th on ESPN's list. Following the deadline, they dropped one spot to 15th.

Why? Well, it had nothing to do with them. Auburn's star guard Tahaad Pettiford withdrew from the draft and opted to return to the Tigers. That is the sole reason they jumped the Bruins for their spot on the list.

For good reason, though. Pettiford is as electric a college basketball player gets and may even be a 2025-26 preseason All-American.

Tigers coach Bruce Pearl recouped the loss of Chad Baker-Mazara to the portal by landing former Texas Tech Red Raider Kevin Overton.

Auburn's projected starting lineup of Pettiford, Overton, Elyjah Freeman, Keyshawn Hall and KeShawn Murphy averaged a total of 69.3 points per game last season.

Enough about Auburn, though. The Bruins made a massive splash to open up the offseason by acquiring former New Mexico guard and Mountain West Player of the Year Donovan Dent.

He addresses UCLA's offensive issues as a defined playmaker and elite scorer. The Bruins ranked near the bottom of all of college basketball in many offensive stats.

Coach Mick Cronin is getting back three starters from last season as well, Tyler Bilodeau, Eric Daily Jr. and Skyy Clark.

ESPN College Basketball Analyst and legendary coach Dick Vitale actually projected the Bruins to be a top-10 team in college basketball in his recent 12-team power rankings.

UCLA had a great first season in the Big Ten which resulted in a loss to Tennessee in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

However, Cronin is getting consistency out of his returners, the prospect of a second-year jump from Trent Perry, and the dynamism from transfer guard Donovan Dent. Not to mention landing Kansas City transfer Jamar Browns and Michigan State transfer Xavier Booker, who is a former five-star prospect.

ESPN projects the Bruins' starting lineup to consist of Dent, Clark, Perry, Dailey Jr. and Bilodeau.