By ADAM ZAGORIA
Donovan Dent won’t be following Richard Pitino to the Big East, and instead is headed to play for Mick Cronin at UCLA.
The 6-foot-2 junior point guard from Riverside, Calif., is returning home, according to reports. He also considered Kentucky and Gonzaga, per Joe Tipton. In the end, UCLA won the NIL battle and his services.
“Homecoming,” Dent wrote on his Instagram.
BREAKING: New Mexico transfer guard Donovan Dent, one of the top players in the portal, has committed to UCLA, he tells @On3sports. Chose the Bruins over Kentucky and Gonzaga.
The 6-2 junior averaged 20.6 points and 6.4 assists per game this season. Shot 41% from three.… pic.twitter.com/9GwYYqAv3C
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) March 29, 2025
He averaged 20.4 points and 6.4 assists for a Lobos team that reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament, where they lost to Michigan State.
There had been speculation that Dent might follow Pitino to Xavier after the coach left New Mexico.
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