Mick Cronin dissects the keys to better defense at UCLA in 2026-27

Jon Rothstein sits down with UCLA head coach Mick Cronin ahead of the 2026-27 season. Mick breaks down his approach to retaining players, the additions he made in the offseason, Nikola Kusturica and plenty more.

0:00 Intro + Mick Cronin joins the show
0:30 Vacation spots, children in college & living in LA
4:50 Coaching a below-average Mick Cronin defense last year
8:00 How will Mick look back at last season after losing Tyler Bilodeau before the tournament?
10:05 Helping Tyler through his injury at the end of his career
12:00 Why is Mick so good at retention?
17:00 Putting together a great team this season
24:00 Does this year’s team remind Mick of early UCLA or Cincinnati teams?
27:00 Which returner makes the biggest jump?
29:00 The importance of retention + adding talent
33:30 Nikola Kusturica expectations
38:00 Giving specific goals to players
42:45 Biggest keys to being a great team in 2026-27

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