Did the UCLA Bruins add one of the better shooting guards in the country this offseason? New Bruin Jaylen Petty did have a very strong freshman year with Texas Tech but will the Seattle, Washington native take the next step under Mick Cronin?
Petty put up 9.9 points per game for a 23-11 Texas Tech squad. Even with the 6’1” guard establishing himself as a contributor in the Big 12 Conference, Petty still opted to hit the portal, winding up in Los Angeles on a UCLA team that could surpass expectations.
College Basketball Report released their list of the Top-30 shooting guards in the country, placing Petty at No. 28 on their list. UCLA isn’t aiming to be the 28th best team in the country but it’s a welcome addition as the Bruins continue to accumulate depth.
USC’s KJ Lewis slots in right behind Petty at No. 29 with fellow Big Ten two guards, Quentin Coleman (Illinois), CJ Cox (Purdue), Rodney Rice (USC), John Mobley Jr. (Ohio State) and Trey McKinney of Michigan coming in ahead of Petty on College Basketball Report’s list.
The preseason top-30 shooting guards in college basketball (as of now) 🏀 pic.twitter.com/FNFsur7h5V
— College Basketball Report (@CBKReport) August 28, 2026Petty doesn’t figure to be the main focal point, but the guard has the talent to ease the offensive workload for Eric Dailey Jr., Nikola Kusturica, Trent Perry and Xavier Booker. Throw in depth pieces such as Azavier Robinson, Filip Jovic, Eric Freeny and Sergej Macura and Cronin has a deep team at his disposal.
Just two years ago Petty was a four-star recruit, who was the No. 1 player in the state of Washington. Now the Bruins will hope that Petty can continue his ascent on the court in Westwood with UCLA.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Is new UCLA Bruin Jaylen Petty a Top-30 shooting guard in the country?
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