Mick Cronin says it wasn’t hard to evaluate Jaylen Clark’s mentality

UCLA guard Jaylen Clark has been a key contributor to Mick Cronin’s Bruins program from the moment he stepped on campus. But the junior has emerged as a breakout star this year as he’s moved into the starting lineup and taken on a greater role for the team.

Clark is averaging 13.1 points per game, good for third on the team behind Jamie Jaquez and Tyger Campbell, and 6.8 rebounds per contest.

Cronin was asked about recruiting Clark recently and what made him someone the UCLA head coach wanted around his program.

“It wasn’t really hard,” Cronin said. “I’m not looking to brag about it. In my mind, it wasn’t very hard. I’ve said this before, today, it’s a different world. Kids are so immune to college coaches watching them, recruiting services interviewing them, following them.They almost get numb to the fact that — forget that its Mick Cronin — the coach at UCLA would come to watch him play should be a big deal. It rarely is nowadays.”

Cronin said when Clark saw him at the game, he elevated his game and recognized the opportunity in front of him.

Clark was relentless on the court, and Cronin took note.

“It clearly was to him,” Cronin said. “He was breathing fire from the time he saw me sit in the front row, which showed me this guy, I respect it. Again, eliminate it that it’s me because for me, it’s hard to believe it’s me. But I know I am the UCLA coach and this guy is breathing fire because he sees me at the game. When you know, and maybe he was when after every.”

Mick Cronin compares Jaylen Clark to former All-Pro linebackers

Mick Cronin then compared Jaylen Clark’s ability and competitiveness to some great linebackers in the game of football. Cronin said that Clark is at his best during the game.

“He’s just a great athlete that’s just got a knack for making plays,” Cronin said. “That’s it. A guy like him, you can’t watch him in a summer workout. You can’t watch him in drills. You got to watch him compete. The best way I could describe this to you would be NFL stories that I’ve heard about. Chris Spielman was a great linebacker, Ray Lewis, but they never were the most impressive guys in their top 40 times and all that type of stuff. But then the game started and somehow they were the best linebacker. You know what I’m saying now. There’s a level of winner and competitive spirit that supersedes sometimes maybe your lack of height for your position or your shooting or your ballhandling, whatever. That would be the best way I could equate that to. It was obvious. To me it was obvious.”