LA Times · Jan 26, 2024
How local stars could prep UCLA, USC for turnarounds amid recruiting complexities
Tounde Yessoufou is a top high school basketball prospect who could deliver a big boost for UCLA. Mick Cronin’s season-long lament has been that he has too many freshmen.
It may not be long before he cannot get enough.
If winning big in college basketball was primarily about importing talent fresh out of high school, the UCLA coach would likely be on the verge of much happier days.
The Southern California classes of 2025 and ’26 are stocked with more stars than a Michelin restaurant guidebook, leaving coaches like Cronin and USC’s Andy Enfield salivating over the possibilities as they also navigate the roster challenges caused by the transfer portal.
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