Mick Cronin seeks a higher NIL budget after season-ending loss
After Sunday's season-ending loss to UConn, Bruins head coach Mick Cronin expressed his desire for more NIL funding for the UCLA team.
UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin isn’t too different from you and I. When things go wrong, I also feel like $5 million would fix the problems. Cronin voiced his desire for a higher NIL budget Sunday night after UCLA’s season-ending loss to UConn .
“Right now, I’m worried about tonight, consoling the guys,” Cronin said postgame . “I’d like about $5 more million. There’s my answer.
Not for me, for players. ” While a few extra million would certainly help fill out the Bruins roster, this year’s team looked capable of competing with UConn if they would have had a healthy Tyler Bilodeau. UCLA played without their leading scorer in both of their NCAA tournament games.
UCLA also got subpar performances from Donovan Dent and Trent Perry in the tournament and still competed with the No. 2 seed Huskies. Cronin took the blame in the postgame interview but after such a lethargic start to the season and the beatdowns received in the state of Michigan during Big Ten Conference play, Cronin got his team into a good space, even if it ended with another second round exit for the Bruins.