UCLA Basketball: Star Bruin Gets Brutally Honest On Shot Choices Against Ducks

The Bruins have to be better than this.

A 5-point loss at the hands of the Oregon Ducks has left the UCLA Bruins 6-7 after their first 13 games of the season. 

Injuries, a tough schedule, and time being taken to enable a new group to mesh well with one another are all responsible for the slow start, but it's possible that the root issue is a lot more noticeable – and more problematic than that. 

KenPom Rankings outline the Bruins' offensive woes, as using advanced statistical analysis, the Bruins' offense is ranked 143rd in the nation. While they do possess the 39th best defense, they're collectively ranked the 85th best team in the country – in alignment with their 6-7 record and performance thus far. 

Guard Lazar Stefanovic attributed the team's poor offense to their shot selection after the loss against Oregon (via uclabruins.com): 

on the Bruins’ shot selection: 

“We haven’t shot it well. Shot selection is part of it. I took a few shots that I shouldn’t have. I probably should have pump faked or something. It’s something we got to get better at. Our shooting percentage has to get better.”

on how they fix poor shot selection: 

“First, you get in the gym more and you shoot more. The more you pass the ball, the better baskets you have, the more open looks you have.”

Stefanovic kept it simple, especially with his answer to "how they fix poor shot selection," as the offense has stagnated, with limited off-ball movement, poor 3-point shooting, and limited playmaking overall.

Much of this can likely be attributed to the team being without elite floor general Tyger Campbell for the first time since the 2017-2018 season. With him out there, the offense was far more efficient, and with more complete offensive personnel (Jaquez Jr., Bernard, Juzang, Singleton) around him, the unit as a whole was significantly better. 

It's uncertain whether the offense will improve much, as the absences of a top-tier playmaker and 3-level scorer – responsibilities filled by Campbell and Jaquez Jr./Juzang – are significant, but as players continue to get healthier and find their roles, this team should retain their upside.