LOS ANGELES — The UCLA men’s basketball team ended last season 23-11, eliminated by Tennessee in the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. Despite the early exit, the 2024-25 season was positive. The Bruins rebounded from a losing record in the year prior and developed key players. More importantly, they retained those foundational pieces.
This season, as head coach Mick Cronin continues to adapt to the ever-changing college basketball landscape, UCLA has assembled a team with a healthy balance of an in-house core and talented transfers.
Here’s how the Bruins’ roster stacks up – and who is no longer there – ahead of their 2025-26 season:
Who’s gone
Dylan Andrews, G, 6-foot-3: UCLA’s starting point guard, who was primed for a breakout but instead struggled throughout the 2024-25 season, averaged just 6.9 points per game. He transferred to Boise State for his senior year.
Sebastian Mack, G, 6-3: The combo guard enjoyed a strong season coming off the Bruins’ bench and providing a spark. He transferred to Missouri for his junior year.
Aday Mara, C, 7-3: In Westwood, Mara’s potential always outweighed reality. He struggled through injuries and inconsistency during two seasons at UCLA. The Bruins believed the Spanish center might stay for his junior year, but instead he transferred to Big Ten foe Michigan.
Kobe Johnson, F, 6-6: Johnson started all 34 games as a senior. He went undrafted in the 2025 NBA draft, but was later signed by the Atlanta Hawks.
Dominick Harris, G, 6-3: Harris was expected to lift UCLA’s perimeter shooting, but his defensive shortcomings kept him from the court. He appeared in just 11 games and has transferred, for the fourth time in his college career, to Loyola Chicago.
Lazar Stefanovic, F, 6-7: Stefanovic, who came off the bench during his senior year, now plays overseas in the Serbian Professional League.
Devin Williams, F, 6-10: Williams exercised his redshirt last season before transferring to Florida Atlantic University for his sophomore year.
William Kyle III, C, 6-9: Kyle played just 9.8 minutes per game during his junior year before transferring to Syracuse.
Who’s back
Skyy Clark, G, 6-3: Clark started all 34 games for the Bruins last season, and the Los Angeles native will look to do so again his senior year.
Eric Dailey Jr., F, 6-8: As a sophomore, Dailey was the Bruins’ second-highest scorer, averaging 11.4 points per game last season. He’ll move to the small forward position after primarily playing power forward last season. Dailey was voted to the preseason watchlist for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award.
Tyler Bilodeau, F, 6-9: Bilodeau led UCLA in scoring as a junior with 13.5 points per game. Similar to Dailey, he will shift down a position after starting 33 games at center last year. He was added to the watchlist for the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award.
Trent Perry, G, 6-4: Perry appeared in 32 games as a freshman out of Harvard-Westlake High, averaging just over 11 minutes. He’s expected to have a significant role in the Bruins’ backcourt rotation.
Eric Freeny, G, 6-4: Freeny, who played at Corona Centennial High, exercised his redshirt, making this his first season of eligibility at UCLA. He will provide the Bruins with shooting and defense off the bench.
Brandon Williams, F, 6-7: After playing his freshman season at UCLA in 2023-24, Williams exercised a redshirt last year. In his second year of eligibility this season, he expects to provide the Bruins with defense, rebounding and toughness off the bench. Cronin has likened his game to Draymond Green.
Who’s new
Donovan Dent, G, 6-2: The New Mexico transfer was regarded by some as the highest-rated player in the portal. As a junior last year, he won Mountain West Player of the Year. The former Corona Centennial High star was named to the preseason watchlist for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award and ESPN’s Jay Bilas put him on his preseason All-American first team.
Jamar Brown, F, 6-5: Brown averaged 17 points per game during his senior season at University of Missouri Kansas City. He led the Summit League in free-throw percentage (89.9%). He was awarded a fifth year of eligibility because of an NCAA issued blanket waiver and elected to come to UCLA. Cronin said Brown’s best trait is his ability to rebound his position, which showed as he led the Roos in rebounding last season (7.4 per game).
Xavier Booker, C, 6-11: Booker struggled during as a sophomore last year at Michigan State, averaging just 4.7 points in 12.8 minutes. For the Bruins, Booker will try to make the switch from playing on the perimeter to inside the paint.
Steven Jamerson II, C, 6-10: The University of San Diego transfer and former Crepsi High star averaged 10 points and 7.8 rebounds per game last season.
Anthony Peoples Jr., F, 6-9: Peoples, who also played at Corona Centennial High, appeared in only eight games as a junior at North Carolina Central before transferring to UCLA.