C -- DAN GADZURIC (6-11, 248 lbs., 11.7 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.3 bpg, 26.2 minutes, .554 FG, .000 3PT, .472 FT) The Holland native was UCLA's starting center for four seasons, and last year he earned honorable mention All-Pac-10 honors after setting a school record for starts (33) and games played (33).

Gadzuric shined when UCLA needed him most, playing 45 minutes and scoring a career-high 26 points (13-for-20 from the field) while grabbing 13 rebounds in the Bruins' 105-101 double-overtime win over No. 1 West Region seeded Cincinnati in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Pittsburgh.

Gadzuric ended his UCLA career eighth all-time in rebounds and second in blocks. He was also the 42nd Bruin to score 1,000 or more points.

"He'll be tough to replace," Lavin said. "During Dan's time here, he was one of the nation's top players in the post."

Gadzuric was the 34th overall pick in last June's NBA draft, selected by the Milwaukee Bucks.

F -- MATT BARNES (6-7, 230 lbs., 13.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.1 spg, 0.7 minutes, .471 FG, .417 3PT, .619 FT) Barnes started for UCLA the final two years of his career and, like Gadzuric, was a mainstay in the lineup. He started 31 games and averaged 30.7 minutes -- second on the team to Kapono. He was third on the team in scoring, second in rebounding, first in assists and second in steals.

Barnes was never better than a two-game stretch midway through last season, when he scored a career-high 34 points against crosstown rival Southern Cal and added 27 in UCLA's upset win vs. No. 1 Kansas at Pauley Pavilion. He was voted Sports Illustrated National Player of the Week.

"Matt is a true athlete who really came on during his last two years here," Lavin said. "He has made himself ready for the next level."

That next level became reality last June, when Barnes was taken in the NBA draft. The Memphis Grizzlies took the California native with the 46th pick and then dealt him to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

G -- BILLY KNIGHT (6-6, 210 lbs., 14.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.4 apg, 29.0 minutes, .458 FG, .397 3PT, .826 FT) The Los Angeles native was a full-time starter as a senior and finished second to Kapono in 3-pointers made (60). He scored a career-best 32 points against Washington State at Pauley Pavilion and ended his college career with three consecutive double-figure games in the NCAA Tournament -- against Mississippi (21), Cincinnati (12) and Missouri (16).

Knight finished his career fourth all-time at UCLA in 3-pointers made with 137.

"He was a consistent player throughout his career for us," Lavin said, "and one of the top 3-point shooters in the Pac-10."

G/F -- RICO HINES (6-4, 217 lbs., 1.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.5 apg, 16.2 minutes, .279 FG, .083 3PT, .545 FT) Hines was UCLA's captain, sixth man and spiritual leader last year (starting 12 of 29 games). When he was inserted into the lineup, the Bruins reeled off nine consecutive victories. Hines missed three games in the middle of the season because of a concussion, then injured his right knee (it required surgery) in UCLA's NCAA Tournament win over Cincinnati.

Hines averaged just 2.2 points and 1.9 rebounds in his Bruin career, but his attitude and grit will be missed more than his statistics.

"Rico was our inspirational leader," Lavin said. "Our winning streak with him in the lineup -- that's just one indication of how important he was. He's the type of player every coach wants and every team needs -- setting picks, diving after loose balls, playing defense, taking charges, getting rebounds ... those are all the things he did for our program during his career."

PG -- CEDRIC BOZEMAN (6-6, 193 lbs., SO, #21, 4.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 3.5 apg, 23.4 minutes, .413 FG, .280 3PT, .286 FT, Mater Dei HS/Los Angeles, Calif.) The graduation of point guard Earl Watson forced this talented but young player into the starting lineup last season, and he more than held his own. He fought through growing pains and real pains, missing seven games because of a right knee injury (cartilage tear) that required surgery.

He started 18 of the Bruins' final 19 contests and played a tremendous game in the Bruins' upset win of top-seeded Cincinnati in the NCAA Tournament. In that double-overtime thriller, Bozeman played a season-high 39 minutes with no turnovers, eight points, a season-high five rebounds and four assists.

"At the point-guard position, because of its challenges and complexities, you'd like for your true freshman to come in, learn gradually and grow into the position," Lavin said. "Last season we couldn't give Cedric that luxury, yet he responded with the maturity of an upperclassman. He fought through plenty of adversity, but by year's end, he was one of the conference's most consistent and dependable point guards."

Bozeman's 3.5 assists per game were second on the team to Matt Barnes. The Los Angeles native will be expected to increase his scoring as he returns for his second year as a starter.

SG -- RAY YOUNG (6-4, 210 lbs., SR, #34, sat out 2001-02 season as red-shirt, St. Joseph Notre Dame HS/Oakland, Calif.) Young brings a wealth of experience, with 94 career appearances and 22 starts. He is a strong defensive player and a leader.

"He'll be one of our captains this year," Lavin said. "He knows our system and will be a positive influence on our younger players. Ray is one of the top athletes on the team. He can score."

During Young's three-year UCLA career, he has averaged 19.5 minutes, 6.0 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists. He is a 3-point threat, with 66 career baskets from beyond the arc. But his percentage from long-range has decreased each season, and he went just 3-for-23 from 3-point range over UCLA's final 13 games in 2000-01.

SF -- JASON KAPONO (6-8, 213 lbs., SR, #24, 16.0 ppg, 5.1 apg, 2.1 apg, 34.6 minutes, .459 FG, .453 3PT, .856 FT, Artesia HS/Lakewood, Calif.) That sigh of relief you heard last May was Lavin, who exhaled in joy when Kapono decided to remain at UCLA instead of leaving early for the NBA draft.

"I never wanted this to be a big deal," said Kapono, who has led UCLA in scoring the past three seasons. "I enjoy being a student-athlete at UCLA. Continuing to work toward my degree and being with coach Lavin and my teammates next season are the things that are more important to me right now in my life."

Lavin wasn't about to talk him out of it.

"Obviously we're delighted that Jason has decided to remain in school," the coach said. "He is a prolific scorer and one of the great shooters in college basketball. His overall game has improved each season since he has been here."

Kapono was a 2002 Naismith Finalist for national player-of-the-year honors and earned his third consecutive All-Pac-10 honor. He also was a Playboy All-American. He can become the first Bruin to be selected to four conference all-star teams this season, and nobody is betting against it.

Last year, Kapono tied the school record for starts (33) and games played (33) and he already holds UCLA marks for 3-pointers in a career (253), a season (87) and a game (seven). His 1,608 points rank 15th in school history, and his single-season scoring average is 536 points (16.4). If he scores his average this season, Kapono would end his career with 2,144 points -- No. 3 in school history behind Don MacLean's 2,608 and Lew Alcindor's (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's) 2,325 (Abdul-Jabbar's was achieved in only three seasons).

Kapono was selected to the 2002-03 John Wooden Award Preseason All-America team.

"We have a young team, and Jason's leadership and experience will be critical to our success," Lavin said.

PF -- DIJON THOMPSON (6-7, 192 lbs., SO, #1, 4.5 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 15.0 minutes, .423 FG, .271 3PT, .870 FT, Union HS/Redondo Beach, Calif.) As a freshman last season, he developed into a dependable scorer off the bench by March. He played in all 33 games (one start) and scored in double figures in two of UCLA's three postseason games, scoring a season-high 16 points against Mississippi and adding 10 against Cincinnati.

Thompson has the ability to handle the ball from the inside and the outside and will be a valuable asset to Lavin this winter.

"He has a deft shooting touch," said the coach, who has compared Thompson to Paul Pierce of the Boston Celtics.

Thompson was a Division II all-state selection at Redondo Union. He also was the Southern California Division II Co-Player of the Year.

C -- T.J. CUMMINGS (6-10, 223 lbs., JR, #43, 7.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 17.5 minutes, .510 FG, .250 3PT, .745 FT, Flossmoor HS, Homewood, Ill.) The son of former DePaul and NBA great Terry Cummings has appeared in 65 games in his first two seasons with UCLA, averaging 18 minutes per game with seven starts.

As a sophomore last year, Cummings tied a school record for games played (33). He enjoyed a stretch of three consecutive games in double figures (18 vs. Columbia, 18 vs. Georgetown and 22 vs. Washington). His best effort came against South Carolina in the third game of the season, when he put in 25 points in a 89-77 win. He made 11-of-12 shots in that game.

"T.J. has averaged close to 20 minutes a game for us during his first two seasons, and he will be the only upperclassman contending for the starting center position," Lavin said.

G -- JON CRISPIN (6-2, 195, JR, #5, 7.2 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 1.7 apg, 27.8 minutes in 2000-2001, Pittman HS/Pittman, N.J and Penn State) Crispin sat out last season after transferring from Penn State. As a sophomore starter in 2000-01, he and his brother Joe (now with the NBA's Phoenix Suns) powered the Nittany Lions to the NCAA Sweet 16. He made 35.6 percent of his 3-point shots.

"Jon is going to help us at the shooting guard position right away," Lavin said. "Watching him last year during our practices, I was impressed with his shooting range. He'll provide us with another consistent 3-point threat."

C -- MICHAEL FEY (6-11, 245, FR, #45, 20.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 1.5 bpg, Capital HS/Olympia, Wash.) Fey was one of the premier prep centers on the West Coast and a top 50 national high school prospect. He shot 56 percent from the field last season and was a first-team all-state selection. Fey signed his national letter-of-intent in November 2001 but could not enroll last fall because he did not meet NCAA initial eligibility requirements. He has a chance to start as a freshman.

PG -- RYAN WALCOTT (6-1, 177 lbs., SO, #10, 2.5 ppg, 0.5 rpg, 1.2 apg, 10.4 minutes, .418 FG, .346 3PT, .700 FT, Shadow Mountain HS/Phoenix, Ariz.) The former Arizona prep star red-shirted two years ago and was supposed to challenge Bozeman for the starting point-guard position last year, but Bozeman quickly established himself as No. 1.

Walcott, who is a cousin to NBA star Mike Bibby, is a low-risk player whose quickness and intelligence are his greatest strengths.

"He picked up valuable playing experience and really gave us a spark off the bench," Lavin said.

Walcott nearly rallied UCLA to victory in the Pac-10 Tournament, scoring 10 points and adding six assists and two steals in 26 minutes of action, but California prevailed, 67-61.

Walcott nearly lost a year of eligibility right out of the gate. He played nine minutes in UCLA's romp over Team Concept on Nov. 1, 2000, scoring two points and grabbing two rebounds. Although he did not play again the rest of the season, the Bruins had to petition the NCAA to restore a season of eligibility. It finally was approved in December 2001, but the NCAA ruled that Walcott would have to sit out the first two regular-season games of the 2002-03 schedule.

C -- JOHN HOFFART (6-10, 279 lbs., JR, #54, 0.4 ppg, 0.0 rpg, 1.4 minutes, 1.000 FG, .000 3PT, 1.000 FT, Cal Poly) Hoffart appeared in only seven games last season, making the only shot he attempted. He red-shirted in 2000-01 after transferring to UCLA from Cal Poly-SLO.

F -- JOSIAH JOHNSON (6-8, 240 lbs., SO, #55, 0.8 ppg, 0.2 rpg, 1.6 minutes, .200 FG, .000 3PT, 1.000 FT, Montclair Prep/Los Angeles, Calif.) Johnson is the son of former UCLA All-America forward Marques Johnson and the younger brother of ex-Bruins star Kris Johnson. He sat out the 2000-01 season as a freshman and played in eight games last year, making 1-of-5 field goals. He will compete for playing time at the power-forward position.

G -- JANOU RUBIN (6-3, 188 lbs., SO, #2, sat out 2001-02 season as a red-shirt, Logan HS/Union City, Calif.) Rubin appeared in just four games as a true freshman (hitting all three of his field-goal attempts), then sat out last season. He made the team as a walk-on, and his father played at Santa Clara.

F -- MATT MCKINNEY (6-8, 200 lbs., FR, #25, 22.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 1.3 bpg, Santa Ynez HS/Santa Ynez, Calif.) A terrific athlete, McKinney will join the UCLA men's volleyball team at the conclusion of the basketball season. He shot 51 percent from the field last year and scored 38 points against Morro Bay. He led Santa Ynez as the school's all-time leader in points (1,400) and rebounds (500).

In volleyball, McKinney was a member of the Junior National Team and led his high school to four consecutive CIF Championships. He is Santa Ynez's all-time leader in kills.

"He's one of the top two-sport athletes in the country," Lavin said. "His versatile, athletic ability will make him a talented addition to our squad."

F -- MARCEDES LEWIS (6-6, 240 lbs., FR, #4, 13.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg, Poly HS/Long Beach, Calif.) Another two-sport star, Lewis will be a freshman tight end for the UCLA football team and then join the basketball team. He was a Top 100 player in at least one recruiting analyst's final list and earned All-South Coast first-team honors. He also was considered one of the nation's top prep tight ends and was selected a football All-American by SuperPrep and Parade after catching 44 passes for 710 yards and 11 touchdowns for Poly.

"He has the potential to be one of the great rebounders in our conference," Lavin said.

Whoa, Nelly, what a schedule. The Bruins' 2001-02 schedule was rated the third strongest in the nation by Basketball Times, and this year's is just as daunting.

UCLA faces Duke in the Wooden Tradition in Indianapolis on Nov. 30, visits Kansas on Dec. 21, plays host to Michigan on Dec. 28 and St. John's on Jan. 11, then travels to Georgetown on Feb. 8.

And, of course, there is the always rugged, unforgiving Pac-10 conference schedule against the likes of powerful Arizona and Oregon.

UCLA suffered a recruiting blow in September when McDonald's All-America forward Evan Burns (Fairfax High School, Los Angeles) did not meet initial NCAA eligibility requirements. Burns averaged 22.7 points and 10.5 rebounds and was selected the No. 16 player in the United States by one recruiting service.

The Bruins also might be without 6-foot-7 sophomore forward Andre Patterson the entire season. Patterson played in 29 games last year, averaging 2.3 points, 2.1 rebounds and 9.2 minutes. He did not qualify academically this fall and is taking classes at Santa Monica City College. If he fares well during the fall semester, he could rejoin the Bruins in January.

UCLA has famously peaked late under Lavin. A slow start might be the critics squawking, but Lavin usually has the last laugh in the end.