REPORT: UCLA's Cronin Deemed 'Dark Horse' Candidate for HC Vacancy

Despite his team getting ready for the first round of the NCAA Tournament, UCLA coach Mick Cronin is being considered a candidate for one of the more appealing head coaching positions in college basketball.

Feb 23, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin during the first half against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images / Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

UCLA is gearing up for what it is hoping to be a long NCAA Tournament run.

Of course, whenever college basketball reaches this point of the year, while most of the buzz is around March Madness, there is always a bit of focus on those teams that weren't as fortunate and are already planning for next year.

Villanova is one of those teams. After three consecutive seasons without a winning record, Kyle Neptune was relieved of his duties as head coach on Saturday.

Media outlets have begun to throw out some potential candidates for the coaching vacancy. One of them is UCLA's own Mick Cronin.

Adam Zagoria of NJ.com reported Cronin to be "a dark horse" for the position.

"UCLA coach Mick Cronin is a “dark horse" contender for the job along with Northwestern’s Chris Collins, multiple people close to the situation said," Zagoria wrote in a recent article.

Cronin had agreed to an extension in March of 2022, one that has him locked in through the 2027-28 campaign.

Zagoria referred to an article from Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times, who, upon the extension, had reported that a buyout through the final day of this month is $16 million and would drop to $10 million after that.

Speculation is inevitable, and anything can happen.

But Cronin had just told the press at the Big Ten Tournament last week that he does not intend on departing from Westwood.

"Look, I don't want -- because the problem is, when I answer a question, then people say, 'Cronin is complaining about travel. He wants to leave UCLA,' which is ridiculous," Cronin said when he took caution after being asked a question that could have potentially been interpreted as a complaint about the officiating in his team's loss to Wisconsin on Friday.

" ... I'm not leaving UCLA until they make me leave, OK?"

Yes, words are just words, and things change. But Cronin seemed pretty adamant here. He just wrapped up his first season coaching in the Big Ten, and considering the Bruins finished fourth in the conference, it's safe to say they fared well.

It would be surprising if Cronin didn't want at least one more crack at it.

And in case people aren't aware, he's prepping for the NCAA Tournament right now.

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