Here he was, the top point guard in the transfer portal, and Donovan Dent was being told what he couldn’t do.

Pleasantries weren’t the point of the conference call with Mick Cronin . The UCLA basketball coach asked the player who could help his team contend for a national title about his plans after college.

That was easy enough. Dent told Cronin that he wanted to play in the NBA.

OK, Cronin responded, let’s say you’re playing the Lakers tomorrow. Who would you guard?

It couldn’t be their primary ballhandlers, Luka Doncic and LeBron James , because they’re 6 feet 6 and 6-9, respectively, while Dent is only 6-2. So who do you guard next?

Continuing down the roster, Cronin got to Austin Reaves , the 6-5 dynamo.

“Cronin’s like, well, you’re not a good enough defender to gu

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