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UCLA's Eric Dailey Jr Wants Bigger Leadership Role in Senior Season
0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Senior guard/forward Eric Dailey Jr. will be a key player on the court for UCLA men's basketball during the 2026-27 season.
Going into his third season with the Bruins, the veteran said he wants to take on a bigger leadership role at UCLA.
Dailey Jr. also said he wants to help UCLA win its 12th national championship in program history. The Bruins have not been national champions since 1995 under former head coach Jim Harrick.
“I feel like the fans have an idea of who I am, that they’re familiar with my name, my face,” Dailey Jr. said, per UCLA Athletics. “And I hope that this year they will get to know who I am, really from a leadership standpoint. I want to be a good example for people. Yeah, I’m really excited to be back for my senior year and hopefully to put that 12th banner up. That has always been my goal since I’ve been here.”
Dailey Jr. transferred to UCLA after his freshman season at Oklahoma State. He has played in 100 career games across the last three seasons and has played 68 with the Bruins.
UCLA associate head coach Darren Savino has been with the program since 2019, so he has seen Dailey Jr. progress over the years. Savino said Dailey Jr. has set a good example for the younger players on the roster.
“Eric just knows the ins and outs of how to practice, how to act every day,” Savino said, per UCLA Athletics. “How do you carry yourself? He has developed a great work ethic. All of that can rub off on every else. If you’re a younger player and you see him in the gym constantly, the new guys are thinking, ‘Well I need to be in the gym since I’m new and this vet is around our gym all the time.’ He really helps to set the tone, as far as the DNA in our program.”
Last season, Dailey Jr. averaged 11.6 points and a team-leading 5.8 rebounds while starting in 35 games for the Bruins. He also helped UCLA reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the second season in a row.
But next season, Dailey Jr. hopes to lead UCLA all the way to an NCAA title.
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