For all the fun UCLA basketball brought last season, it was always destined to be short-lived.
Lonzo Ball would play one year. TJ Leaf and Ike Anigbogu started the season as freshmen with upside and ended it as future NBA draft picks. Bryce Alford and Isaac Hamilton were grizzled seniors looking to make one last ride before leaving Westwood.
In short, 2016 UCLA was a supernova, a bright and shining light for all to see before it disappeared.
So for 2017, it was imperative that Steve Alford recruited and reloaded quickly to offset at least 5 departures.