Jerime Anderson may be UCLA’s new starting point guard, but don’t tell him that.
There’s nothing new about the role he’s assumed on this year’s team. He’s always been that guy, that so-called floor general, no matter where he’s played or whom he’s played with.
“My whole life, I’ve always been the leader,” said Anderson, a sophomore from Anaheim.
New or not, a young Bruin squad will need a leader or two during a season that figures to be more about reloading than repeating.
Anderson, who averaged less than 10 minutes per game in a limited role last season, takes over at point guard for Darren Collison, the former All-American who was a staple in coach Ben Howland’s backcourt since taking over for Jordan Farmar.
Needless to say, Anderson has big shoes to fill.
“Those guys are going to be in the league for a long time,” Anderson said. “I’ve already embraced the challenge. I don’t really feel too much pressure because I’m going to go out there and do my thing.”
Anderson became the official successor to Collison once close friend Jrue Holiday, a point guard candidate himself, decided to leave UCLA early for the NBA at the end of his freshman year last season.
Despite the loss of Holiday, Howland is confident that Anderson has the ability to lead this team.
“That’s why we recruited him,” Howland said. “Jerime is a true point guard. He’s real pass-first and creates for others. The big thing for him is going to be staying healthy.”
That was a tough task during the preseason. Anderson missed a considerable amount of full-contact practices while nursing a nagging groin injury similar to the one he dealt with last year. After missing the Bruins’ first exhibition game with that same injury, Anderson was healthy enough to make his first career start in last Tuesday’s 74-57 victory over Humboldt State. And despite playing a career-high 29 minutes (his previous high was 18), Anderson was again limited physically, this time by a constant cramp in his right leg.
“A couple times I drove and I just cramped and fell right to the ground,” Anderson said afterwards. “I wanted to keep the pace up-tempo a little bit more but I held back a little bit.”
When healthy, Anderson is perhaps the Bruins’ best playmaker. Despite the cramps, he got to the basket with ease and pushed the ball up the floor when he had to.
“He knows the play even before it happens,” said sophomore guard Malcolm Lee, whom Howland has pegged as Anderson’s backup at the point. “So it’s like basically having another coach out there on the floor. It’s a lot smoother when Jerime is in there.”
The ball was in Anderson’s hands during the final 30 seconds of the first half against Humboldt State. He waited and waited, until the time was right, then drove to the basket ““ a situation that Collison excelled at ““ and scored with a shot off the glass.
“A point guard is always typically looking to create for others and looking to score when it presents itself,” Howland said.
As if making up for Collison’s offensive output wasn’t enough, Anderson must also replace his stubborn, on-the-ball defense. Collison made a name for himself by being an effective ball-stopper in transition and harassing opposing guards in half-court sets.
“He’s our first line of defense,” Howland said of Anderson.
But Anderson’s biggest worry is getting in game shape and staying away from the trainer’s room. Howland knows how important Anderson’s health and development are to the future of UCLA, which touts only three seniors on its roster this season.
“He’s going to play as much as he’s able to play,” Howland said. “When he’s healthy I expect big things from Jerime.”
Anderson expects big things out of Anderson, too.
That’s why the 6-foot-2-inch Anderson, who averaged just over two points and an assist per game last season, worked on his offense during the summer.
“I definitely tried to work on my jump shot the most,” Anderson said. “I’m trying to be more productive and more consistent because I know I’m going to have to make some shots. That’s probably the weakest part of my game.”
With the sole intention of refining his stroke, he fought to keep his elbow in on shot attempts ““ a habit that he struggled with last season. Anderson shot just 37 percent from the floor and 31 percent from beyond the arc.
With the top three scorers from a year ago ““ Josh Shipp, Collison and Alfred Aboya ““ all gone, UCLA needs all the scoring it can get. Lee believes Anderson has the tools to be an offensive threat.
“He can definitely take more shots,” Lee said.
UCLA’s two-game stint in last spring’s NCAA Tournament serves as Anderson’s biggest motivation. He went scoreless while playing a combined 13 minutes in the two rounds.
“For most of us that are going to be a key part of this team to be on the bench (during the tournament), I think was good for us,” Anderson said. “We’re better players for that.”
That maturity level is something forward Drew Gordon, a fellow sophomore, has noticed.
“Jerime is the leader who works hard and doesn’t speak up,” Gordon said.
“I have the respect of the guys already,” Anderson said. “I’ve been here for a year, so the seniors know what I’m about.”
There’s no question that Anderson is all about being UCLA’s next star point guard.
“I want to follow in their footsteps; that’s a no-brainer,” Anderson said.