Mick Cronin has always stressed the importance of backcourt production. “When we get good guard play, we can beat anybody,” the UCLA men’s basketball coach said after the Bruins defeated the Trojans at Pauley Pavilion last March. When the Bruins lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament, Cronin brought in exactly what the squad lacked – exceptional guard play. That came in the form of senior guard and 2024-2025 Mountain West Player of the Year Donovan Dent. Before the men’s basketball season officially gets underway, Daily Bruin Sports editor Connor Dullinger analyzes all that Dent will bring to Westwood.
Attacking the rim
In an era of high-volume shooting, Dent excels at attacking the glass.
The Riverside local averaged 7.3 field goal conversions in his junior season at New Mexico, of which only 0.8 were 3-point makes. But he shot 59% at the rim, and his shots near the glass comprised 52% of his shot diet.
Standing at just 6-foot-2, Dent does not have the traditional size made for slashing, but he uses his athleticism, agility and quickness to attack defensive holes and make shots in the paint before opposing backcourts can contest.
Cronin said at the Bruins’ open summer practice that Dent is “sneaky athletic.”
What is more impressive than his athleticism is his low center of gravity and ability to contort himself with ease in the air, allowing him to glide past opponents and find opportune angles at the rim.
As seen in this play below, Dent isolates the center, uses an explosive first step to blow past the defender and then splits the two defenders, working his body into open space to get the and-one. His speed will consistently lead to late shot block attempts, which should elicit increased fouls around the rim.
Catch-and-shoot ability
Dent does not have a large sample size from beyond the arc, but he was consistent whenever he shot it.
The former New Mexico guard has increased his 3-point splits annually, improving from 21.1% his freshman season to 40.9% last year. Cronin has also focused on Dent’s beyond-the-arc potential.
“He just wanted to shoot at a higher volume, and he just preached that to me,” Dent said. “He knows I can … make plays. He’s just been telling me to shoot the ball more, and that’s what I’ve been doing.”
Although long-range shooting is most likely Dent’s biggest weakness, he has shown the ability to catch-and-shoot throughout his Lobos career. Dent posted a 75% effective field goal percentage – which ranked in the 100th percentile – on catch-and-shoot 3s last season.
He can be an efficient shooter with considerable volume from the perimeter when he sets his feet and gets into rhythm, as seen in the play below.
The video also shows how Dent takes advantage of movement while exploiting the help defenders. After maneuvering through the paint and finding a teammate, Dent relocates to the wing and utilizes the confusion created by the top-of-the-key switch.
Dent could feast on this opportunity in Westwood, since players may sag on him to support defenders in the post guarding bigger players like senior forward Tyler Bilodeau or junior guard/forward Eric Dailey Jr.
If the Bruins can foster an unselfish offensive approach, interior players could rack up assists by hitting an open Dent on the perimeter.
Igniting the transition
The Bruins were slow last year.
UCLA ranked No. 311 in the nation in team possessions per game and lacked a true transition offense presence, which could have been why the Bruins posted the fourth-fewest points per game in the Big Ten.
The Bruins lacked an outlet man with pure speed who could take the top off an opposing defense while charging down the hardwood.
Dent is that guy.
New Mexico ranked No. 8 in the nation in team possessions per game last season, mostly fueled by Dent’s transition game, which focuses on pushing the ball down the court as soon as it rattles off the rim.
As seen in the play below, Dent boasts a unique 0-to-60 ability that is lethal when he leaks out on defensive rebounds, and it is particularly impactful when defenses are slow to get set.
UCLA slacked in the defensive rebounding department last season – ranking last in the Big Ten – which could limit Dent’s leakout potential. But his speed down the 94-foot-long court should elevate the Bruins’ transition game and add another facet to their offense that will make them more formidable come March.
Facilitating an offense
All proficient guards excel at scoring.
But the best are successful at making their teammates better scorers.
And Dent may be the full package.
The defensive attention Dent draws in transition and from his on-ball movement allows him to find open shooters – usually on opposite sides of the court, where defenders are scattered, or with the extra pass that exploits delayed switches.
The 2024-2025 AP All-American honorable mention ranked No. 13 in the nation last season with 6.4 assists per game and posted four double-digit assist games. As seen in the video below, the attention Dent attracts causes a defensive collapse at the elbow, and he finds the open, strong-side shooter in the corner.
Space optimizes Dent’s playmaking ability. He excels on pick and rolls along with pick and pops – but particularly the former, since it creates a mismatch with a slower guard on the swifter Dent or creates confusion on the switch, leading to an easy drive and dump to the open big.
As seen in the play below, Dent brings the screen toward half-court and takes advantage of the screen defender who gets lost on the switch and leaves a man open, whom Dent finds for an easy score.
Defensive determination?
Although Dent brings a lot to the table, he is not necessarily known for lockdown defense.
The point guard averaged a solid 1.4 steals last season, but he struggled with on-ball defending.
Dent is not a below-average defender, but his defensive output does not mirror his offensive firepower. However, this does not ensure his defensive development will remain stagnant when he plays at Pauley Pavilion.
Cronin is known to marshal a stifling defense – a unit that ranked first in the Big Ten and No. 22 in the nation in opponents’ points per game at 65.2 – that forces turnovers and makes opponents battle for every basket.
If Dent is going to be on the court for the majority of the game – especially after averaging over 35 minutes per game last season – then he must adopt the Cronin-style defense.
His speed and athleticism will allow him to intercept passes and tantalize weak ball-handling teams. Additionally, he excels at anticipating plays with his elite game IQ. As seen in the play below, Dent lurks below the free-throw line and reads former Bruin guard Sebastian Mack’s eyes, picking off the pass for an easy bucket.
Dent should have no problem locking down opposing guards if he can make this a habit in Westwood.