LOS ANGELES – A multitude of questions will need to be answered as the UCLA Bruins begin the 2024-25 season. Ambiguity surrounds the rotation as the Bruins added nine new players to help them adapt to the challenges they will face in their first season in the Big Ten.

How will UCLA handle the schedule change that comes with playing in the Big Ten?

Head coach Mick Cronin is concerned about the accumulation of travel during the season. But his biggest concern, he said, with the Bruins moving from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten, is the extra day student-athletes will spend away from school, away from home, due to the way the calendar is organized.

In the Pac-12, games were spaced one day apart, while in the Big Ten, games were spaced two or three days apart.

“The longer you leave these guys away from home,” Cronin said, “they tend to lose focus. They tend to drift a little bit.

The end of these road trips could be botched for the Bruins as they acclimate to a new schedule.

Will depth cause players to struggle to define their role?

Depth has been the buzzword of the preseason and Cronin seems to be fed up with it.

“You keep assuming we have all these guys,” he said. “I’m trying to find five that can play the way we need to play to win.”

First, the red shirts will be taken. But it’s unrealistic to expect a rotation of more than 10 players to equate to a win. The fact is that the Bruins have more than 10 who can earn playing time, which means that individuals’ playing time will fluctuate. With this, players may struggle to understand their role from game to game and defined roles are essential to success in basketball.

For now, the buzzword associated with depth is sacrifice.

“Not everyone is going to be a 20-point scorer, not everyone is going to be a 10-plus point rebounder,” USC transfer Kobe Johnson said. “But, you know, you have to find what you do best for this team, and you have to do it well.”

Essentially, Johnson says, find your role and execute it. This is easier said than done when minute allocation is unpredictable.

When will we have an idea of ​​the Bruins’ best offensive and defensive lineups?

Cronin said he has an opinion on UCLA’s premier offensive and defensive lineup. Asked for details regarding personnel in these separate scenarios, he did not respond, as expected.

He praised Johnson’s defensive instincts and complemented Oregon State transfer Tyler Bilodeau’s three-level scoring ability.

Other than that, projecting how these respective groups will complement each other is pure speculation. Especially because Cronin will continue to tinker throughout UCLA’s upcoming slate of non-conference home games.