UCLA Basketball was already losing 72% of last year’s offense with the departure of their five players. If Thomas Welsh and Aaron Holiday also decided to go, UCLA would have been left with Gyorgy Goloman as their top returning scorer (3.7 points per game).
Even though the Bruins are bringing in the #4 recruiting class next year, a team full of freshmen and role players would have a difficult time competing in the Pac-12.
That’s why the importance of Welsh and Holiday returning will be felt in three ways.
Scoring
Most agree that Holiday was the best sixth man in the Pac-12, if not the country, last year.