Rush The Court

The offseason in Westwood could have gone better — much better. The Bruins knew they were going to be woefully thin in the backcourt, and head coach Steve Alford was never going to completely replace point-forward Kyle Anderson, the 6’9” match-up nightmare with elite point guard skills. But then UCLA received word that Colorado State transfer Jon Octeus had been denied admission, nixing the Bruins’ best-laid plans to make him the starting point guard. There’s just not much depth available here at all, and this clearly puts additional pressure on the Bruins’ starters (although senior Norman Powell should have little issue so long as he remains in good health). Off the bench, UCLA may struggle beyond Noah Allen to find any realistic contributors under the height of 6’9”.

The void creates a big opportunity for combo guard Isaac Hamilton, and there may not be a more valuable player on the roster. The 6’4” sophomore missed the entire 2013-14 season after backing out of his initial commitment with UTEP. While Hamilton lost a year in the transition, he was able to practice with his teammates and digest the system, and that is where his true value will be revealed. The year away from action did wonders for T.J. McConnell at Arizona, where the point guard ran the scout team before becoming a valuable piece last season. Hamilton’s case is different because he doesn’t have previous Division I experience under his belt, but there’s something to be said about developing team chemistry and learning the tendencies of teammates in a practice setting.

The Bruins are already a small team at positions 1 through 3. When Bryce Alford exits the game, Hamilton will slide over to the point and give UCLA a bit more size in the backcourt. How he runs the show, however, will go a long way in determining just how well the team performs. On the high school and AAU scene, Hamilton was a capable scorer and play-maker. As with many high-major lead guards, the balancing act between attacking the basket and involving teammates was a focal point in projecting his future. But he can fill either role and it’s really just a matter of the greater team need as to which he enables. At UCLA, that need is already clear. The Bruins return Powell, who averaged 11.4 points per game as a junior last season. Alford can be a spot-up threat from the wing after shooting 38.5 percent on 3-pointers as a freshman. Down low will be prized freshman Kevon Looney and junior Tony Parker taking up space. There are just enough options and freedom in this lineup for Hamilton to be effective as both a passer and scorer. It won’t be long until we find out just how big the hole at point guard is at UCLA and just how comfortable Hamilton looks trying his hand at it.