Tag: Mick Cronin

Mick Cronin compares Eric Dailey Jr. to Jaime Jaquez Jr.

Eric Dialey Jr. and Jaime Jaquez Jr.? Mick Cronin thinks so.

How good will Oklahoma State transfer Eric Dailey Jr. be?

Well, UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin apparently has high expectations for the latest big name to transfer to Westwood.

Here is what Mick Cronin said while comparing Eric Dailey Jr. to Jaime Jaquez Jr., per the official release from the UCLA website:

“Eric is a big guard, built in the Jaime Jaquez Jr. mold. He can rebound like a big, but he is a young man with guard skills in a big, strong body.”

Being compared to a player such as Jaquez, who has made himself known in his rookie year in the NBA with the Miami Heat, is definitely a good sign for Dailey.

Dailey has some big shoes to fill if Cronin is thinking of him similarly to Jaime Jaquez Jr., but the talent is there. Add in the rest of the pieces in a roster that is loaded, and there is a lot of excitement for the future of UCLA men’s basketball.

Dan Wolken lists Mick Cronin as Kentucky candidate

Mick Cronin is again linked as a candidate.

The Kentucky Wildcats have a head coach opening with John Calipari’s shocking decision to go to Arkansas. The coaching carousel has taken another wild turn, and suddenly UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin is once again an option for a high-profile job.

Cronin was already linked as a Louisville candidate before they hired Pat Kelsey. Now Dan Wolken of USA Today mentioned Cronin as a candidate, albeit an unlikely one. Here’s what Wolken wrote about the UCLA coach potentially going to Kentucky:

Despite his ties to the area as a former coach at nearby Murray State and Cincinnati, the timing probably isn’t great. Cronin is coming off a rebuilding year at UCLA and would be a tough sell to the Kentucky fan base, despite a long track record of success including a Final Four appearance in 2021.

There are plenty of names that have popped up, and Wolken isn’t the only one to mention Cronin as a candidate, either. Other names Wolken linked are Baylor’s Scott Drew, Auburn’s Bruce Pearl, and Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd, among others.

Mick Cronin buyout a huge concern for Louisville

Mick Cronin’s buyout could be an issue for Louisville.

Whether or not Mick Cronin goes to Louisville remains to be seen, but Dusty May going to Michigan sure changes things for the Cardinals.

There are pros and cons of Cronin going to Louisville, but Matthew McGavic of Louisville Report mentioned one huge problem for Cronin: His buyout

First and foremost, Cronin has the largest (known) buyout out of any coaching candidate, as he’s owed a whopping $20 million if his deal is broken before Mar. 30, and $16 million before Mar. 31, 2025. However, there are rumors that his buyout could drop to zero because of a loophole in his contract. While it’s likely that Cronin would fit the bill as a coach who Heird *wants* to coach Louisville, he is also incredibly abrasive, especially with the media and especially this past season. If Cronin is hired, he better start winning quick.

It will be interesting to see what happens, but that much money for Mick Cronin would be quite a surprise.

Mick Cronin’s NCAA Tournament history, recruiting a major con for Louisville

These are the cons for Louisville and Mick Cronin.

Will Mick Cronin go to Louisville? With Dusty May and Florida Atlantic’s early exit, all signs point to May going to be the next Cardinals head coach. However, until then, Mick Cronin’s name will circulate in rumors for that job.

Matthew McGavic of Louisville Report mentioned the cons of Cronin going to the Cardinals.

As consistant as Cronin has been during the regular season, he has been remarkably underwhelming once the NCAA Tournament rolls around. Out of his 14 trips to the Big Dance between his three head coaching stops, Cronin has made it past the first weekend just five times. While he has taken UCLA that far the last three seasons before going 16-17 this year, before arriving in Westwood, Cronin hadn’t made it to the second weekend of the Big Dance since taking UC to the Sweet Sixteen in 2012. When it comes to recruiting, while he has ties to the region, he hasn’t proven to be a masterful recruiter. Out of his 18 recruiting classes between Cincy and UCLA, just three of them cracked the top 25, along with eight sub-top 50 finishes including this cycle’s class – which comes in at No. 83 with just one signee.

There are pros and cons to Cronin going to Louisville, but these cons might be more than the program wants to handle, especially after the Kenny Payne era. Only time will tell.

Mick Cronin’s tough, gritty teams a pro amid the Louisville rumors

There are pros for Louisville to hire Mick Cronin.

Will UCLA head coach Mick Cronin be headed to Louisville to be the Cardinals’ new head coach?

There have been a lot of discussions about Cronin leaving Westwood and going elsewhere, and it’s quite the conversation to have.

Matthew McGavic of Louisville Report mentioned the pros for Cronin to go to the Cardinals.

Louisville is a program that desperately needs constancy and stability, and for the decade or so, that is something that Cronin’s teams have brought to the table. Over the past 14 seasons, Cronin has failed to reach the 20-win mark just twice (his first year at UCLA and current season), along with eight seasons where his teams cracked 25 wins, and three with 30-plus. While the Bruins have been underwhelming this season, his previous three seasons all saw him reach the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament, including a Final Four in 2021. His squads are known for their toughness and grit on the defensive end, a style that will resonate with the Louisville fanbase. Since the 2010-11 season, a Cronin-coached team has failed to crack the top 25 in KenPom defensive efficiency just five times. Being a midwestern guy, he has a plethora of recruiting ties to the area. Also having previously worked at Louisville, he should have a solid understanding of the expectations of the job. While Cronin’s coaching is ahead of his recruiting, he has appeared to embrace the modern landscape. His ’22 and ’23 classes both cracked the top 20, and featured a combined seven four-star and three-five star prospects according to 247Sports.

There are a lot of good things for Louisville to consider about Cronin, and consistency is one of them. After the disaster that was the Kenny Payne era, they could do much worse than hiring Cronin.

Has Mick Cronin coached his final game at UCLA?

Is Mick Cronin going elsewhere? Only time will tell.

The UCLA Bruins men’s basketball team lost to Oregon on Thursday in the Pac-12 Conference tournament.

It remains to be seen what the future holds for UCLA, but it was a disappointing season for a program that is used to winning and competing.

So, here comes the $1 million dollar question: Has Mick Cronin coached his final game at UCLA?

All season long, rumors have surrounded Cronin. When the Ohio State job became open, his name was floated out there. When Kenny Payne was fired from Louisville, Cronin’s name again circulated.

Cronin has become a candidate for the Louisville job on a number of lists, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him leave California and go back to the other side of the country.

The Bruins athletic program already changed course when Chip Kelly left for Ohio State, and bringing in a new face for the basketball program could work out.

It remains to be seen what the future holds for Mick Cronin, but Thursday’s game against Oregon could have been his last in Westwood.

What Mick Cronin said after UCLA loss to Washington State

Here’s what Mick Cronin and others said after the loss.

The UCLA Bruins men’s basketball team lost again, this time to Washington State on the road.

After a six-game winning streak, the Bruins have come crashing back down to earth and have now lost four in a row.

Mick Cronin has gone viral a few times for some fiery postgame interviews this season, including last time against Washington a few days before.

This time, it wasn’t as honest. Nonetheless, here’s what Cronin said after the game, including a quote from Dylan Andrews after he had another strong performance despite UCLA losing the game.

Mick Cronin’s fiery comments after UCLA’s ugly loss to Washington

Mick Cronin was fed up after UCLA’s 17-point loss to Washington.

The UCLA Bruins men’s basketball team had another ugly performance. This time, it came on the road against the Washington Huskies.

The Huskies shot the lights out and scored 92 points, including 50 in the second half, to hand UCLA its third consecutive loss after a six-game winning streak.

Once again, Mick Cronin expressed his displeasure with the team following the game (a recurring theme this year), and there are plenty of reasons why the UCLA head coach is fed up with the way the season has gone.

Cronin unloaded plenty of viral comments, and here’s some of what he said following the loss.

Everything Mick Cronin said after UCLA’s loss to USC

Mick Cronin had a lot to say after UCLA lost to USC.

The UCLA Bruins men’s basketball team lost a frustrating game against crosstown rival USC on Saturday. Fans flocked to Pauley Pavilion to see the UCLA-USC showdown, and the Trojans came out on top, 62-56.

UCLA scored just 22 points in the second half as both Sebastian Mack and Lazar Stefanovic struggled from the field.

UCLA’s recent streak has come to a crushing end with a loss to USC, who moves to 11-16 on the season.

After the game, UCLA head coach Mick Cronin had a lot of negative things to say about the performance — and rightfully so.

It could be a long week in Westwood.

Badgers Wire ranks Mick Cronin-DeShaun Foster UCLA HC combo 10th in Big Ten

@thebadgerswire has UCLA’s HC duo as 10th in Big Ten.

The UCLA Bruins have a big move ahead of them with the Big Ten Conference debut in 2024. UCLA, USC, Washington, and Oregon are joining the conference next season, making an already talented conference even better.

With UCLA losing Chip Kelly to Ohio State and hiring first-time head coach DeShaun Foster, as well as Mick Cronin’s basketball program taking a step back this year, it could make for a rough transition.

Ben Kenney of Badgers Wire ranked the Big Ten’s best basketball-football head coaching duos, and the Cronin-Foster pairing is 10th. Here’s what Kenney wrote:

Mick Cronin is considered one of the best coaches in college basketball — despite UCLA’s struggles this season.

Football head coach DeShaun Foster hasn’t coached a college game yet. But Cronin’s stature is enough to get the duo inside the top 10.

Even with Cronin’s squad having a down year, his resume speaks for itself and is worthy of UCLA being in the top 10. Things can change depending on how Foster does, but this is a good spot for UCLA despite being in an adjustment period in both sports.

It’s also worth noting that Kenney has the Dan Lanning-Dana Altman Oregon dup as the best in the Big Ten.