UCLA’s newest transfer addition could start immediately for coach Mick Cronin and contribute in a variety of ways.
In his first college season, Eric Dailey Jr. showed that he could handle the ball, drive to the basket, post up inside, pull up for three-pointers and make smart passes. The Oklahoma State freshman will take those talents from Stillwater, Okla., to Westwood after announcing on social media Tuesday that he was committed to the Bruins.
“Bruin Nation,” Dailey wrote on the social media platform X above a picture of himself and family members surrounded by UCLA’s 11 NCAA championship trophies, “Let’s get to it!!!”
Dailey becomes the team’s third transfer addition, joining Louisville guard Skyy Clark and USC forward Kobe Johnson. UCLA has two more open scholarships, one of which will presumably be filled by a center after Adem Bona announced he would declare for the NBA draft.
A 6-foot-8 forward, Dailey can play both inside and out. Last season, he was the only player in the Big 12 Conference to finish in the top five among freshmen in points (9.3), rebounds (4.8) and assists (1.5) per game despite coming off the bench as a sixth man over the second half of the season to maximize mismatches.
Dailey made 33.3% of his three-pointers and shot 49.6% overall and notched two double-doubles. His departure came after Oklahoma State fired coach Mike Boynton.
Incredibly versatile and quick, Dailey can both bring the ball up court as a de facto point guard and play center as part of a small-ball lineup. He projects as a starter at power forward for the Bruins given their current roster, with three years of remaining eligibility.
Dailey comes from a basketball family that includes father Eric Sr., who played professionally for a decade overseas, and mother Shell, who played in the WNBA and coached at both the college and pro levels. Eric Jr. was a consensus four-star prospect out of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
