UCLA men’s basketball is playing a tightrope game this preseason, looking to maintain last season’s success but forced to make drastic changes.
Its main identity from a year ago is gone, as are many of the players. Sitting at a podium in front of a room full of reporters at Thursday’s Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Media Day was the central figure of UCLA’s new identity: senior guard Norman Powell, the new face of the program.
“I just talked to (former UCLA guard Jordan Adams) about how much is gonna be asked of me this year,” Powell said. “I looked him dead in the face and told him, ‘This is something I’ve been waiting for, and I’m really excited to lead this team and go out with a bang.’”
Having lost five of their top eight players from a year ago, the Bruins are a very different team this year.
They lost the versatility and uniqueness of point guard Kyle Anderson. They lost the explosive athleticism in transition of guard Zach LaVine. They lost the floor spacing of forwards Travis and David Wear.
But in Powell’s eyes, UCLA only lost one thing.
“Experience is the only thing I see lacking in this new team this year,” Powell said. “The work ethic, the competitiveness is there.”
Coach Steve Alford is also trying to hang onto as much as he can from last season. After coaching slower-tempo teams at New Mexico, Alford’s first year at UCLA was identified by its fast-paced offense.
With Anderson rebounding and starting fast breaks himself, LaVine sprinting down the floor for alley-oops and a pair of forwards known for their jump shooting rather than their post play, the 2013-2014 Bruins posted the 38th-highest adjusted tempo out of 351 teams, according to kenpom.com.
But with those players gone, replaced mostly by big men, logic would point toward Alford returning to his former, slower style. But he’s holding onto the hope this new group of players can fit to his new up-tempo system.
“We want to be able to continue to do the things we’ve done, especially with the speed with which we want to play,” Alford said. “We talk about it in our locker room all the time. We want to play fast.”
With a good group of guards in Powell and sophomores Bryce Alford and Isaac Hamilton, the Bruins have the skill on the perimeter to succeed at a fast pace. It’s the number of players that’s the concern.
With the departure of LaVine, Anderson and Adams, UCLA was left with just Powell and Bryce Alford as the two returning players who played significant minutes last season. Adding Hamilton, who was forced to sit out last season, and sophomore Noah Allen, who Steve Alford expects to have a much larger role this year, the Bruins still have just four backcourt players.
All the changes and the lack of depth led voters at Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Media Day to pick UCLA to finish fourth in the conference, behind Arizona, Utah and Colorado in that order. UCLA received just one first-place vote.
Powell, however, doesn’t share the voters’ doubts.
“I think we’re right there with the best of the best. I think we’re right there with Arizona, honestly,” Powell said. “We have the skill, we have the depth, we have the players, and we have the coaching staff that’s gonna put everything into playing on the court. … I think we’re a team that can make a run in the Pac-12.”
Compiled by Kevin Bowman, Bruin Sports senior staff. Contributing reports from Eldrin Masangkay, Bruin Video senior staff.