Weekly Answers, Pt. 6

1) So which of the players, eyeballwise, have worked out the hardest this year and which of the first and second year player appear ready to step up? And btw, die you decide to move to Hollywood because of what's going up at the corner of Highland and Sunset? - Cheat On!
If you're talking about football, I'm hearing really good things about Cassius Marsh, Connor Bradford and Randall Carroll. I think Dietrich Riley will have a good year, and that's going to be important.
And no, what's going up at Highland and Sunset?

2) After last our camps last summer, the one kid you raved about was Devin Lucien and said that we need to offer him ASAP (and stood by that all season, so props to you on that)... my question is who is the 'Devin Lucien' of this summer? - 909Bruin
One of them was Taubler, who I keep hearing really good things about. One guy UCLA simply needs to get is Ismael Adams from Oaks Christian.

3) How does it look for Xavier Sua-Filo's return? - Anonymous
The same as it has the 1,000 other times I've answered this question.

4) Jon: I didn't realize until the NBA draft that the Nuggets 1st rd. pick, rebounding-machine Kenneth Faried, is only 6-7, 225. You've talked of him learning more of the "3" spot, but I say, why? With the Wears coming in for "3" support, and Reeves, at 6-7, 6-8 maybe 240 this year and coming off a double-double avg. season, why mess with his success at the "4" ??? (Remember his domination of Derrick Williams at home?) I know there's mental/emotional maturing in progress, but what's to think he couldn't clean up even more inside this year AND be an NBA prospect at the "4" in 2 more years w/his banging, blue-collar work ethic? - ucla-of-the-rickies
Fringe first-round picks need ONE major NBA-level skill. Faried's is rebounding. I don't know that Nelson has developed that one outstanding skill yet, and the nature of the beast - undersized, the white/unathletic stigma, etc. - does him no favors. Now, could he be a first-round prospect in two years, particularly if UCLA has a good season next year and a great season the year after? Sure.

5) How many more years are we will going to blame Karl Dorrell? Funny how CRN and Chow don't get enough criticism, but would be different their last names were different? - Anonymous
CRN and Chow don't get enough criticism? They've been pretty heavily criticized, including by me. I wasn't around for the Dorrell years, so I can only tell you about what he left at UCLA, and what he left has been subpar, in my opinion.