The No. 39 prospect in the class of 2022 will stay home for college. Los Angeles-based point guard Dylan Andrews announced his intention to play for UCLA on Friday, choosing the Bruins over a long list of offers that span time zones and major conferences. Below, Rivals.com has a look at what Mick Cronin is getting in his new 6-foot-3 guard as well as what it means for the big picture.

WHAT UCLA IS GETTING

The No. 39 player in the class of 2022, Andrews dictates pace with a tight handle and an ability to avoid getting sped up. He’s a facilitator first, but has a history of making shots with consistency as well. He can create off the dribble when asked to do so and has the burst to score at the bucket, but is at his best running the break and setting up teammates. Andrews plays solid perimeter defense because of an ability to move well laterally. Pair that with his decent length and a motor that never seems to quit and you have a high-upside defender. He’ll look to develop as a more consistent outside shooter in the year ahead.


WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE BIGGER PICTURE

The Bruins are rolling.

Andrews may well have decided to stay close to home and play for UCLA even if the school didn’t make its run from play-in game to the Final Four, but the fact that Bruins stole the national headlines for weeks certainly didn’t hurt their chances. Success seems to compound in college sports, and Mick Cronin and his staff have plenty of momentum on that front. Beating out Oregon, Louisville, Kansas and other heavy-hitters to keep the four-star point guard in Los Angeles is yet another sign of the program’s positive trajectory. Keep in mind this is a team that went 17-16 the year before Cronin took over and now seems to have snapped back to its role as a national power on the floor and on the recruiting trail in the span of just two short seasons.

The fact that this is all happening during a period of uncertainty at Arizona is a bonus for a UCLA program looking to get back to long-term Pac 12 dominance.

IN HIS WORDS
"I just got to watch one of UCLA’s practices," said Andrews. "It was good to be in that type of environment. it was pretty good." -- Andrews following his pre-pandemic visit to UCLA.