Much will be said about why Mara isn’t returning—he wasn’t tough enough, he wanted too much money, and so on.
But here are the facts: Cronin repeatedly chose not to play him. He was pulled for minor mistakes, and at times, never even given a real chance to compete. I can’t blame him or his family for doubting that things would be different this time. The truth is, he never fit Cronin’s system.
If you’re surprised by his departure, consider his perspective. He’s been told he’s special since day one, already played professionally in Europe, and when he did get on the court, he sometimes dominated. He came to UCLA—a school with a storied history of elite centers—to develop. But how do you grow when you’re stuck on the bench?
Earlier, I questioned how we’d judge Cronin if there was an exodus. To me, this qualifies. He can still build a team, but will it be championship-caliber? Is relying on the portal instead of high school recruits sustainable at UCLA? I don’t know, but it feels like we’re at a crossroads.