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UCLA Men's Basketball: Ex-Bruins Coach Joins Mick Cronin At Recent Practice

He once led UCLA to three consecutive Final Four appearances...

Jason Fray

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When a coach gets fired from any job, it's understandable to believe that there could be some sort of lingering animosity between both the figure and the program. 

Longstanding bitterness might be present, especially if the dismissal is messy or abrupt. 

In the case of Ben Howland and his relationship with UCLA, the two parties still seem to have tremendous affection for one another. Look no further than this past week -- where Howland was in Westwood watching the basketball team practice alongside current head coach Mick Cronin. 

The official UCLA Men's Basketball social media account posted multiple pictures of Howland sitting alongside Cronin during a recent Bruins practice. 

As one remembers, Howland took UCLA to the Final Four in three straight seasons. Over a 10-year span, Howland accrued a .685 win percentage. He coached the likes of Kevin Love, Jordan Farmar, Russell Westbrook, Arron Afflalo, Trevor Ariza, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Jrue Holiday, Ryan Hollins, and others. 

All things considered, the fan base is quite appreciative of the job Howland did for what he pegged as his dream job. Being a native of Santa Barbara, he was raised just up the coast from this prestigious program. After turning Pittsburgh into a power, UCLA was quick to bring him into the fold. 

While Howland's tenure ended in general disappointment, it never prevented him from being lauded for his time in Westwood.

Cronin has spoken glowingly about Howland in the past and considers him a very good friend. Both being brilliant defensive minds, it makes sense the two click extremely well. Cronin even has spoken in the past about picking Howland's brain over the UCLA job before officially accepting it.  

While Howland is currently enjoying life away from the court, it must be gratifying that he can still be involved in some capacity with his past school due to the graciousness of Cronin. 

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Jason Fray
JASON FRAY

Jason Fray is a proud native of Los Angeles. After graduating from UCLA in 2011, he's written for a number of publications -- including Bleacher Report, FOX Sports, Saturday Down South, and New Arena. In his downtime, he enjoys writing scripts, going to shows, weekly pub trivia with the boys, trying the best hole-in-the-wall food spots around town, and traveling (22 countries & counting).