# DARK HORSE: Nikola Kusturica Gives UCLA HOPE as a CONTENDER! Donovan Dent UNRETIRES?? Staff Changes!

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/locked-on-ucla-daily-podcast-on-ucla-bruins-344725/dark-horse-nikola-kusturica-gives-ucla-hope-as-a-contender-donovan-dent-unretires-staff-changes
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/locked-on-ucla-daily-podcast-on-ucla-bruins-344725/dark-horse-nikola-kusturica-gives-ucla-hope-as-a-contender-donovan-dent-unretires-staff-changes.md
Podcast: [Locked On UCLA - Daily Podcast On UCLA Bruins](https://stenobird.com/podcast/locked-on-ucla-daily-podcast-on-ucla-bruins-344725)
Published: 2026-07-15T23:57:56+00:00
Episode link: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-ucla/
Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/pdrl.fm/cfba5d/lockedon.simplecastaudio.com/276c1669-af9d-440f-9fa1-c61a10d129b7/episodes/28bd0743-ff54-4ba7-83c8-d44f56ecffc8/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=276c1669-af9d-440f-9fa1-c61a10d129b7&awEpisodeId=28bd0743-ff54-4ba7-83c8-d44f56ecffc8&feed=o8n0xXOf
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Duration seconds: 1659

## Resource

UCLA Bruins basketball enter the season as a true dark horse, with Nikola Kusturica’s arrival raising expectations and Mick Cronin’s squad aiming to surprise the Big Ten. Can Trent Perry propel the Bruins to contender status, or will questions about last year’s early exits linger? Zach Anderson-Yoxsimer dissects national rankings, bracketology projections, and a challenging non-conference schedule featuring Texas and Arizona, weighing if UCLA can capitalize on west coast regional advantages in the new 76-team March Madness format. Off the court, major staff changes see Max Feldman elevated to general manager, signaling a new recruiting era for Cronin’s program. Plus, former transfer Donovan Dent’s potential return under the evolving “five for five” eligibility rule creates ripple effects across roster construction—will Dent land at Gonzaga and haunt his old team? Get the latest insights on UCLA’s recruiting momentum, staff shakeups, and what it means for the Bruins’ pursuit of national relevance this season. Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms… 🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOUCLA?sid=YouTube Locked On College Conferences, HBCU, Basketball & More 🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnCollege FOLLOW THE SHOW: Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. From the opening whis…

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