UCLA head coach Mick Cronin has made clear he does not support men’s college basketball adopting two NBA rules.
With conference realignments further reshaping the landscape, his comments serve as a reminder to protect what makes the college game unique. Cronin’s stance reinforces the need for balance while navigating today’s changes in basketball.
Which NBA Rules Did UCLA’s Mick Cronin Push Back On?
Cronin emphasized that the focus should always remain on what benefits the college game.
Speaking on “The Sideline with Andy Katz,” Cronin said his opposition is rooted in preserving fairness and integrity in a sport already undergoing significant changes.
Discussing the idea of shifting from halves to quarters, Cronin dismissed the reasoning often used to support the change.
“I don’t see any argument for quarters,” he said. “When your argument is, ‘Well, that’s what everybody else does,’ okay. Well, if Steve Jobs (had) thought that, the world would be different.”
He stressed that any alteration should only be considered if it benefits college basketball.
“Is it better for men’s college basketball? That’s all we should be asking ourselves anytime we decide on anything,” Cronin said.
On whether the ball should be advanced late in games, as in the NBA, Cronin was even more direct.
“No. Or if you want entertainment, go to the movies,” he said. He noted that the NBA made adjustments to boost scoring and promote stars but rejected the idea that such motivations should drive changes in the college game. “Don’t change it for us,” he said.
Meanwhile, addressing the use of a coach’s challenge, Cronin said it must be handled with caution.
“You better save it. That’s how I look at that. You know it’s just like timeouts, right? You better save it,” he explained.
He pointed out how impactful a single challenge can be, particularly in late-game situations.
“It could be the difference in your best player fouling out of a game or not. So I think you got to save it for significance,” he added.
Cronin also expressed frustration with the limits now placed on officials in the final minutes.
“We’ve now eliminated the guys going, the officials being able to go to the monitor and get the out-of-bounds call right,” he said.
While acknowledging the value in correcting mistakes, he argued that the change has created new problems.
“The problem is when they don’t call a foul. The guy fouls me and it’s off my fingertip. They didn’t call it. And the old school refs, they didn’t want to call the foul, so they just gave you the ball back. Now you go to the monitor, it’s out on me. So you got to call every foul.”
Cronin’s comments underscored his consistent message: Proposed rules should be judged solely on whether they truly improve college basketball.