UCLA picked up its second commitment of the 2023 cycle on Monday, when New York native Brandon Williams chose the Bruins over in-state St. John’s, his lone other finalist. Williams held offers from a number of major programs before narrowing his focus to just two schools in August.

Below, Rivals has a look at what UCLA is getting in its newest commit and explores what it means for the bigger picture of Bruins hoops.

WHAT UCLA IS GETTING

Williams brings some unique versatility to the power forward spot, as he’s more skilled than he sometimes gets credit for being. Sure, his 6-foot-7 frame and athleticism allow him to score in the paint and impact games on the glass, but he’s capable of putting the ball on the floor and can also hurt you from the mid-range. Williams moves fluidly for his size and can create a matchup issue when defended by bigger, slower power forwards, as the four-star comes equipped with sneaky quickness and offensive creativity. His greatest strength is his versatility, as his combination of length, athleticism and skill will allow him to fill a number of different frontcourt roles for the Bruins.

WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE BRUINS

Convincing any priority target to attend college 2,500 miles away from his hometown is a tall order, so Mick Cronin and his staff deserve applause for doing just that in this situation. And while Williams probably won’t be viewed as the crown jewel of the program 2023 class when all is said and done, his versatility in the frontcourt complements fellow 2023 pledge Devin Williams, who fills more of a traditional power forward role at 6-foot-10 and 211 pounds. Brandon Williams is working to become a better three-point shooter, which would allow him to fill in yet another gap in his fellow commit’s skill set. This is shaping up to be a big class for the UCLA frontcourt, as bigs such as Aaron Bradshaw and Michael Nwoko remain on the Bruins’ recruiting board.