"Going to raise the ceiling big time": Analyst Jon Rothstein makes his feelings known on UCLA HC Mick Cronin's blockbuster transfer portal addition

UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin has been busy retooling his squad for next season. On March 28, now former New Mexico Lobos guard Donovan Dent confirmed that he is transferring to UCLA for his senior year after spending the last three campaigns with the Lobos.

This is a huge boost for the Bruins, given that they lost floor generals such as Johnny Juzang in recent times. For basketball analyst Jon Rothstein, this is a blockbuster transfer portal addition for coach Cronin and Co.

"I want to talk about Donovan Dent for a second," he said on Wednesday, April 30. "I don't want to disparage anybody who played point guard last year for UCLA but UCLA, since it lost Tyger Campbell a couple of years ago after a memorable run with the Bruins, went to the Final Four and three straight Sweet 16's, had not adequately replaced Campbell at the most important position on the floor." (0:28)

Rothstein also discussed what Dent can bring to the Bruins.

"Donovan Dent is going to raise the ceiling big time in Westwood. Donovan Dent is the type of player that will make UCLA again a top five or 10 team, in my opinion, to start next season, and elevate everything," Rothstein claimed. (0:53)

"Remember this, the Bruins last year, with really no consistent point guard play, won 23 games, went to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and did not have a consistent option at point guard. They have Donovan Dent right now, who was 20 points and six assists in New Mexico," he added.

Rothstein then detailed the kind of starting lineup that coach Cronin could field with the 2025-2026 Bruins.

"Now you're looking at a UCLA team under Mick Cronin that obviously is gonna have Donovan Dent and Skyy Clark in the backcourt, Eric Dailey and Tyler Bilodeau at the three-four, and then Xavier Booker from Michigan State at the five. Xavier Booker is the X Factor for UCLA," he shared.

UCLA finished the 2024-2025 season with an overall record of 23-11 and 13-7 in Big Ten conference play.

Donovan Dent doubled the highest season assists tally for any UCLA Bruins player last year

Donovan Dent's exceptional ability as a facilitator is evident in the 224 assists he recorded during his junior season, which is more than twice the total of any player on the 2024-2025 UCLA Bruins roster. The closest competitor, Dylan Andrews, managed 109 assists in comparison.

In his third year with the New Mexico Lobos, Dent tallied remarkable numbers of 20.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, 6.4 dimes and 1.4 steals per contest as he and his team concluded the year with a 27-8 overall record and 17-3 during the Mountain West conference games this season.