Really good article. I like the way you outlined your stance on Cronin and the future of the program. I too think Cronin is an overall 'good' coach, but you will never convince me he is a 'good' offensive coach. As someone so aptly pointed out regarding the sweet 16 teams, Cronin's offense just isn't as entertaining as any of those progr…
Really good article. I like the way you outlined your stance on Cronin and the future of the program. I too think Cronin is an overall 'good' coach, but you will never convince me he is a 'good' offensive coach. As someone so aptly pointed out regarding the sweet 16 teams, Cronin's offense just isn't as entertaining as any of those programs (for me), which is the whole point in watching basketball games. It has to be entertaining, and the slow drawn out style of the Virginia, Drake, Tennessee, and of course UCLA programs is just not my style. You could even throw Houston into this conversation in some sense, but their defense is the most smothering defense the NCAA has seen in years... UCLA isn't even close to what Houston does on defense in my opinion.
I will ask a question in regards to the comment about "an elite inside-out game". What evidence from Cronin's tenure leads you to believe that this was a possibility with Mara and Dent? I wouldn't say any of Cronin's teams had an elite inside-out game. Maybe with Jaquez, but even Jaquez wasn't playing the 5.
I don't think Cronin can develop the offensive prowess of a 5. At this point, he hasn't shown that he can do that. This is one of his major flaws in my opinion in that a strong offensive college level 5 is important if you want to win a championship. The zach edey, drew timme, etc... players that are developed appropriately for college level scoring. UCLA hasn't seen a 5 that can put up big numbers since... Kevin Love? That's a shame, but I do think it limits UCLA ceiling on another big tournament run until it's figured out. Mara may have been someone that with proper coaching could have become that player. I'm interested to see what another program like Michigan can accomplish with him next year.
The Dylan Andrews mystery is perplexing. Both him and Mack regressed significantly from the prior season. I'm surprised you didn't bring up Mack as well. Both of these players were the only players that might have developed into true slashers that could drive and go for a layup, drive and take a step back jumper, drive and dish, drive and lob to the 7'3' player on the court... This level of development was completely absent in my opinion and is why ultimately, they are both now on different teams. This is the reason why my expectations of Dent are highly tempered under a coach like Cronin. Given what he did to those two players between the last two years gives me some extreme hesitation with regards to Dent. He will only have one season with Dent, and the Cronin lovers will say, well he didn't have enough time to teach him defense... or he didn't have enough time to get him into the form required.
The last comment on Cronin... there are so many excuses by the Cronin lovers on why he wasn't responsible for this or that... yada yada yada. He's the head coach who should take responsibility for his team. He's consistently throwing his players, assistant coaches, NIL money, whatever makes sense that week as the reason for his short comings. I've said many times that a true leader will lead by example. I've yet to see Cronin ever do that in any of his press conferences. The one time he took responsibility in a post game loss was as a sarcastic dig that everyone could see through. I've said from the beginning that I think Cronin is the wrong guy for UCLA basketball and I'll feel that way until he's gone. My expectations on what he can accomplish are capped at what he accomplished at Cincinnati. A good team every 3-5 years where his lack of offensive coaching ability dooms him at the end of the season.
Did Mack really regress? Yes, his numbers were down, but that was a function of 6 less mpg. He lost playing time to better players that were not on the roster his freshman season.
Did Andrews really regress? I never thought he was that good to begin with. His best season at UCLA was his sophomore season when he had an embarrassing 2:1 assist to turnover ratio.
I don't think any of that is Cronin's fault, unless you want to blame him for recruiting them in the first place which is a fair criticism, but again, he was very limited by NIL when he recruited those 2 players.
Very excited to see what Cronin can do with Dent and especially the other transfers.
I didn’t bring up Mack in part because I don’t believe he regressed (I actually felt he improved this year compared to last year when he was a one-trick only) and because he wasn’t integral to how the roster was constructed. If Mack regressed or had a bad game, it wasn’t going to be a big deal because Skyy Clark was brought in to stabilize the guards and Trent Perry was brought in as an upside play. But none of those guys are true point guards like Andrews, hence the problem.
As for the inside-out game, that lies more with personnel than anything. UCLA had a had an elite player at one of those positions (Tyler Campbell for years, Adem Bona last year) but lacked both at the same time, and really lacked the shooting as well. Dent is a great passer to go with excellent slashing and finishing, while Mara is an elite passer with his size, and last year’s team could actually shoot. More than enough ingredients to say that it was possible, but without Mara that chance is diminished.
Don’t you think an elite inside out game takes an elite scoring 5 though? If there isn’t the risk that player is going to score with their back to the basket (see adem bona) then the inside out game will never be elite. Both players have to be capable of scoring or taking it to the basket in order for that to be effective. Cronin has yet to develop an elite 5 with good footwork, good rebounding, good vision, and can score lots of points with their back to the basket. Thats why I’ll ask again, what 5 has he developed into the elite scoring threat that is required for a truly elite inside out game?
Really good article. I like the way you outlined your stance on Cronin and the future of the program. I too think Cronin is an overall 'good' coach, but you will never convince me he is a 'good' offensive coach. As someone so aptly pointed out regarding the sweet 16 teams, Cronin's offense just isn't as entertaining as any of those programs (for me), which is the whole point in watching basketball games. It has to be entertaining, and the slow drawn out style of the Virginia, Drake, Tennessee, and of course UCLA programs is just not my style. You could even throw Houston into this conversation in some sense, but their defense is the most smothering defense the NCAA has seen in years... UCLA isn't even close to what Houston does on defense in my opinion.
I will ask a question in regards to the comment about "an elite inside-out game". What evidence from Cronin's tenure leads you to believe that this was a possibility with Mara and Dent? I wouldn't say any of Cronin's teams had an elite inside-out game. Maybe with Jaquez, but even Jaquez wasn't playing the 5.
I don't think Cronin can develop the offensive prowess of a 5. At this point, he hasn't shown that he can do that. This is one of his major flaws in my opinion in that a strong offensive college level 5 is important if you want to win a championship. The zach edey, drew timme, etc... players that are developed appropriately for college level scoring. UCLA hasn't seen a 5 that can put up big numbers since... Kevin Love? That's a shame, but I do think it limits UCLA ceiling on another big tournament run until it's figured out. Mara may have been someone that with proper coaching could have become that player. I'm interested to see what another program like Michigan can accomplish with him next year.
The Dylan Andrews mystery is perplexing. Both him and Mack regressed significantly from the prior season. I'm surprised you didn't bring up Mack as well. Both of these players were the only players that might have developed into true slashers that could drive and go for a layup, drive and take a step back jumper, drive and dish, drive and lob to the 7'3' player on the court... This level of development was completely absent in my opinion and is why ultimately, they are both now on different teams. This is the reason why my expectations of Dent are highly tempered under a coach like Cronin. Given what he did to those two players between the last two years gives me some extreme hesitation with regards to Dent. He will only have one season with Dent, and the Cronin lovers will say, well he didn't have enough time to teach him defense... or he didn't have enough time to get him into the form required.
The last comment on Cronin... there are so many excuses by the Cronin lovers on why he wasn't responsible for this or that... yada yada yada. He's the head coach who should take responsibility for his team. He's consistently throwing his players, assistant coaches, NIL money, whatever makes sense that week as the reason for his short comings. I've said many times that a true leader will lead by example. I've yet to see Cronin ever do that in any of his press conferences. The one time he took responsibility in a post game loss was as a sarcastic dig that everyone could see through. I've said from the beginning that I think Cronin is the wrong guy for UCLA basketball and I'll feel that way until he's gone. My expectations on what he can accomplish are capped at what he accomplished at Cincinnati. A good team every 3-5 years where his lack of offensive coaching ability dooms him at the end of the season.
Did Mack really regress? Yes, his numbers were down, but that was a function of 6 less mpg. He lost playing time to better players that were not on the roster his freshman season.
Did Andrews really regress? I never thought he was that good to begin with. His best season at UCLA was his sophomore season when he had an embarrassing 2:1 assist to turnover ratio.
I don't think any of that is Cronin's fault, unless you want to blame him for recruiting them in the first place which is a fair criticism, but again, he was very limited by NIL when he recruited those 2 players.
Very excited to see what Cronin can do with Dent and especially the other transfers.
I didn’t bring up Mack in part because I don’t believe he regressed (I actually felt he improved this year compared to last year when he was a one-trick only) and because he wasn’t integral to how the roster was constructed. If Mack regressed or had a bad game, it wasn’t going to be a big deal because Skyy Clark was brought in to stabilize the guards and Trent Perry was brought in as an upside play. But none of those guys are true point guards like Andrews, hence the problem.
As for the inside-out game, that lies more with personnel than anything. UCLA had a had an elite player at one of those positions (Tyler Campbell for years, Adem Bona last year) but lacked both at the same time, and really lacked the shooting as well. Dent is a great passer to go with excellent slashing and finishing, while Mara is an elite passer with his size, and last year’s team could actually shoot. More than enough ingredients to say that it was possible, but without Mara that chance is diminished.
Don’t you think an elite inside out game takes an elite scoring 5 though? If there isn’t the risk that player is going to score with their back to the basket (see adem bona) then the inside out game will never be elite. Both players have to be capable of scoring or taking it to the basket in order for that to be effective. Cronin has yet to develop an elite 5 with good footwork, good rebounding, good vision, and can score lots of points with their back to the basket. Thats why I’ll ask again, what 5 has he developed into the elite scoring threat that is required for a truly elite inside out game?