Mar 20, 2025; Lexington, KY, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Eric Dailey Jr. (3) reacts during the second half against the Utah State Aggies in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Rupp Arena. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

Three UCLA Stars Featured in Top 100 NCAA Rankings

Originally posted on UCLA Bruins on SI | By Connor Moreno | Last updated Oct 24, 2025 8:00 AM ET

The 2025-26 men's college basketball season is upon us, and the UCLA Bruins are projected to be one of the teams with the highest ceilings of the year.

The anticipation stems from a stellar offseason where coach Mick Cronin not only retained some key returners but also bolstered the roster through a few impactful additions in the transfer portal, like reigning Mountain West Player of the Year Donovan Dent, turning UCLA into the No. 12-ranked team in preseason polls.

ESPN brought in the new season by ranking college basketball's top 100 players going into the new year. Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf meticulously curated the rankings and three Bruins made the list.

Here are which UCLA stars made the rankings and what Borzello and Medcalf had to say about them ahead of this season.

78. Tyler Bilodeau | Forward | Senior

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"After Mick Cronin's viral rant about his team's lack of toughness during a four-game losing streak last season, the Bruins went on to win 12 of their next 17 games. During that stretch, Bilodeau finished in double figures 12 times. The 6-9 forward is a unique threat (42% from beyond the arc in conference play) who could help Cronin's team battle for the Big Ten crown." -- Medcalf

69. Eric Dailey Jr. | Guard/Forward | Junior

"Provided Dailey's knee injury is as minor as coach Mick Cronin made it sound earlier this month, Dailey looks poised to continue his upward trajectory. He immediately slotted into the UCLA starting lineup last season after transferring from Oklahoma State, and became one of the most efficient offensive players in the country. He averaged 11.4 points in just 23.6 minutes, shooting nearly 51% from the field and 38% from 3." -- Borzello

9. Donovan Dent | Point Guard | Senior

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"There won't be too many more transformative transfers than Dent, who should singlehandedly change coach Mick Cronin's offense. He's among the nation's toughest players to keep out of the lane, consistently beating his defender to get into the paint and then either finishing in traffic or dishing to an open teammate. He ranked in the top 15 nationally in both scoring (20.4) and assists (6.4) last season at New Mexico." -- Borzello

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UCLA continues on its preseason ramp-up by taking on UC Irvine in an exhibition game in Pauley Pavilion on Tuesday, Oct. 28, at 7 p.m. PT before starting the season against Eastern Washington at home on Monday, Nov. 3, at 7:30 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.

This article first appeared on UCLA Bruins on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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