In Reply to: Re: he did posted by russsmith on July 15, 2026 at 06:45:55
My guess-and it's only a guess-is that he realized sticking in the NBA was going to be an uphill battle(I believe he did not get invites to draft process stuff). The alternative was spending the next several years bouncing from team to team overseas. It seems like he's settled into a life in New Mexico with his girlfriend. He'd already made some good money, and maybe he decided it was time to start investing in the next chapter of his life instead of chasing contracts around the world.
Then this opportunity came along to stay in the States and earn another nice paycheck, and I think he figured, "Why not do it for one more year?"
We'll see how it works out for him.
As for UCLA, I agree with you. I think they've moved on, and bringing him back would feel like a step backward. I'm really excited about the group coming in. I thought Dent was a defensive liability and too inconsistent offensively. I expect this year's team to be significantly better on the defensive end.
I've been looking closely at Jaylen Petty, and I think he's going to surprise a lot of people. There will be plenty of games where he's the best player on the floor. He's already an outstanding shooter and a solid defender, and I expect him to make another jump on that end under Cronin. Honestly, I'm so high on Petty that I'd even hesitate to bring Sky back if he were granted another year of eligibility.