UCLA men’s basketball team works on developing frontcourt at season approaches
WESTWOOD — In the few moments he wasn't mingling with donors at UCLA's closed scrimmage on Tuesday, Martin Jarmond stood at the baseline, dribbling a basketball behind his back.
He doesn't hoop anymore. He claims it's his Achilles. It may also be that the UCLA athletic director commits most of his time to reconstructing the Bruins basketball team. And, to be honest, Jarmond, a former UNC Wilmington guard, doesn't need pickup games when he can live vicariously through the depth the Bruins now have at his old position.
As he praised their backcourt options, the experience of those ball-handlers, his train of thought was suddenly derailed when forward William Kyle III rose for a put-back dunk, then again two possessions later, when Kyle swatted Devin Williams' hook shot.
Jarmond knows it's plays like that where the Bruins' ceiling resides.
While there may be question marks about which guards will play, and when, the production at that position is a safe bet as the Bruins returned their starting backcourt, added a pair of microwave scorers in the transfer portal and two more crafty freshmen. Nobody should be concerned about Oregon State transfer Tyler Bilodeau's ability to score the rock, but tapping into the offensive potential of the rest of the frontcourt and the wings may determine how far the Bruins go.
Assistant coach Darren Savino has been working with a handful of them to improve their offensive repertoire.
Kyle, who transferred from South Dakota State, shot 58% from the free-throw line last season. Savino hopes adjustments to his mechanics will improve that mark to the 70-percent range.
"He had a little bit of a hesitation when he shot his free throw and his jump shot," Savino said. "We just eliminated that."
Savino demonstrated that change, showing reporters how Kyle had a hitch in his form, whereas now the only movement Savino wants from his right arm is a flick of the wrist as he guides the shot with his left.
On Tuesday, Kyle hit a pair of free throws, adding two layups and that emphatic dunk. He seemed uncomfortable with the ball when he was beyond 5 feet from the basket. Other than Dominick Harris, who played at Loyola Marymount and Gonzaga, Kyle's the only transfer that didn't come from a Power-4 school, so his transition to feeling comfortable with the ball at this level may be slower.
He knows he has to focus on that as UCLA tends to run sets where the center initiates dribble-handoffs and pick-and-roll actions from the perimeter.
"I just got to be strong with the ball and patient as well, and make the right decisions," he said.
Eric Dailey Jr., who transferred from Oklahoma State, is 6-foot-8 and can guard any position. He and Savino each referred to his role as the "glue guy" because of his positional dexterity. Dailey, however, showed a similar indecisiveness on offense. He relied heavily on his athleticism in transition, playing out of control, which led to turnovers. He committed an offensive foul in the first half, prompting head coach Mick Cronin to remind him to play off two feet.
Dailey has no problem getting into the open court. His decision making in that area, along with the improvement of his 3-point shot — as he made 33.3% of his attempts last season — will determine his playing time.
"We're working hard on his offense, really trying to develop his ball skills and his passing," Savino said.
"Shooting the 3-ball makes me even harder to guard," Dailey added. "If I hit a few 3's and you close out too hard, I'm going downhill. I'm going to dunk."
Then there's USC transfer Kobe Johnson, who Cronin said — at Big Ten media day last Wednesday — he expects to be on the conference's all-defensive team at the end of the season. Johnson displayed a knack for dishing outlet passes in transitions, but he was deferential on offense and was unable to knock down any of the 3-pointers he attempted.
He shot 31% from 3 at USC last season and will have to improve on that mark as he and Dailey strive to become true 3-and-D wings.
Savino made clear that the acquisitions of Kyle, Dailey, and Johnson were to anchor the Bruins' defense. To maximize their prowess, though, they'll need to find ways to score effectively.
