A new era begins for UCLA basketball this season. For the first time in four years, the Bruins will be without the fantastic trio of Darren Collison, Josh Shipp, and Alfred Aboya; a group that helped UCLA reach three final fours. Head coach Ben Howland will also have to replace first round pick Jrue Holiday, who declared for the NBA Draft after one season in Westwood. While Holiday may have underachieved last season, he was a shutdown defender who could have seamlessly offset the loss of Collison at point guard.

Despite all of the key departures, this is still UCLA. Howland has stockpiled excellent young talent at all positions, and if everything comes together, the Bruins will contend for another Pac-10 title. Certainly the expectations are lower for this team, but if you believe in Ben Howland’s coaching ability, then you should believe in the 2009-10 Bruins.

Impact Superstar: F Nikola Dragovic

By the end of the season, impact superstar status may belong to talented sophomore guard Malcolm Lee, but Dragovic is UCLA’s leading returning scorer and he can light it up from all over the court when he is in rhythm. The 6-9 senior from Serbia is a versatile big man with tremendous shooting range as well as the size to defend the four or five spot.

Last season, he averaged 9.4 points per game, 4.3 rebounds per game and made almost 40% of his three point attempts. As important as his skill set is, Dragovic will also provide veteran leadership to a team that will need it.

I believe Dragovic is poised to have a big season for UCLA. When he’s hot, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better shooter in the conference, and if he can find a way to improve his tenacity on the boards all-conference honors are a possibility.

Needs To Have A Big Year: G Jerime Anderson

The losses of Darren Collison and Jrue Holiday left a big void at the point guard position, and Anderson will be counted on to fill it. The 6-2 sophomore from Anaheim (CA) has all the physical gifts necessary to become a star, but now he must prove that he can be a high-caliber floor general. Anderson played in all 35 games as a freshman, and averaged 8.6 minutes per game as Collison’s backup. He scored 2.3 points per game and added 1.2 assists per game, while shooting 31% from behind the arc.

Anderson has great length for the point guard position, and although he may not possess the quickness of a player like Collison, he plays with explosive elevation once he gets into the lane (reminds me of Russell Westbrook a little). Anderson’s development will be one of the key storylines to watch for this season.

Potential Impact Newcomer: SF Tyler Honeycutt

There are plenty of choices for potential impact newcomer, but Honeycutt’s ceiling is sky high. Ben Howland had this to say about him: “Tyler Honeycutt is a very versatile athlete. He is a good shooter, he’s good at scoring off the dribble and is a good passer. He is also an outstanding rebounder and has a lot of potential”.

The 6-8 freshman from Sylmar (CA) was one of the most heavily recruited players in the country, and Rivals, Scout, and ESPN.com ranked him in the top five of all small forward prospects. Some experts have compared Honeycutt to Tayshaun Prince, as he possesses similar length and athleticism.

Honeycutt was inactive throughout the summer due to a fractured vertebrate, but he has looked good in recent practices. It remains to be seen how quickly he can work into the rotation, but I believe it will difficult to keep him on the bench as the season progresses.

My Take

Obviously UCLA is in rebuilding mode, but so are most teams in the Pac-10. The turnover rate in the conference has been incredible over the last couple years, and the teams best equipped to handle it are the ones that recruit at the highest level. For that reason, I still see the Bruins as a legitimate threat to win the conference, but young players like Jerime Anderson, Malcolm Lee, and sophomore forward Drew Gordon must step up.

Ultimately, I see Ben Howland’s Bruins finishing third in the conference and comfortably making it to the NCAA Tournament. Most importantly though, I believe the young cast of talent in Westwood will grow leaps and bounds by the end of this season, and I fully expect UCLA to be setup for another run to the final four in 2010-11.

Projected Pac-10 Finish: 3rd Place

Height: 6-7
Weight: 185
Position: Small Forward
High School: Sylmar High School (CA)
Pac-10 School: UCLA
Arrives: 2009-10
Class Ranking: Rivals.com 28th Overall, 4th ranked small forward

“Tyler Honeycutt is a very versatile athlete. He is a good shooter, he’s good at scoring off the dribble and is a good passer. He is also an outstanding rebounder and has a lot of potential.” – UCLA head coach Ben Howland