Mick Cronin’s press conference embarrassed himself and UCLA

The UCLA Bruins had reasons for optimism entering the 2025-26 season. The team returned its best player in 6’8 junior forward Eric Dailey Jr., retained another key front court presence in Tyler
Bilodeau, and then landed one of the top available names in the transfer portal in former New Mexico point guard Donovan Dent. The Bruins were picked to finish third in the loaded Big Ten in the conference preseason poll, and were No. 12 in the national preseason AP Poll.

With less than a month before Selection Sunday, UCLA is fighting for its tournament life, and at the moment it may be on the wrong side of the bubble. Our bracketologist Chris Dobbertean had the Bruins among the last four in for the Big Dance entering Tuesday night’s game at Michigan State, but another loss and another meltdown by head coach Mick Cronin won’t help their case.

Michigan State smoked UCLA, 82-59, on Tuesday night in a game that will only be remembered for Cronin’s shenanigans. First, Cronin ejected his own player from the game after a technical foul. After the loss, the UCLA coach gave another bizarre interview where he chided a reporter for asking about MSU’s student section. Watch the clip here:

Cronin has had several viral moments during interviews this season, but nothing like this. What a ridiculous reaction by the head coach. “I’d like to give you kudos for the worst question I’ve ever been asked,” Cronin told the reporter. When the reporter responded, Cronin said:

“Are you raising your voice at me?”

And the reporter gave him a calm response.

Cronin’s post-game meltdown happened after he blew a situation totally out of proportion for the cameras earlier in the game. With UCLA down big in the final five minutes, UCLA’s Steven Jamerson II was called for a technical foul for challenging a breakaway layup for MSU. Cronin apparently thought it was a dirty play by his guy, because he kicked Jamerson out of the game himself. Watch the sequence here:

What a strange sequence. It feels like Cronin is trying to build his brand for a post-coaching studio show or podcast right now rather than focusing on getting his team into the NCAA tournament.

The Bruins are the proudest program in college hoops, and this is no way for their leader to act. Cronin is in his sixth season as head coach at UCLA, and for the most part he’s done a good job. He took UCLA to the Final Four in his first season in 2021 as a No. 11 seed, then made back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances. After one year missing the tournament, the Bruins returned to the big dance last year and won a game. This year, they’re on the bubble, and it might be time to start looking for a new coach if Cronin can’t get them dancing.

UCLA still has more chances left to build its resume. The season isn’t over yet. For the Bruins to get to where they need to be, Cronin needs to grow up and stop trying to go viral.