Through UCLA's two exhibition games, one player has emerged as a very interesting piece of this Bruins roster.

Coming from Butler in the offseason, there was some high praise from Mick Cronin for guard Azavier Robinson. Through both exhibitions, Robinson has displayed a very interesting skill set that will provide high value for this Bruins team against highly skilled offensive opponents.

Azavier Robinson’s Defensive Identity

The exhibition against San Diego also offered even more insight into exactly where Azavier Robinson can thrive for this team. It’s becoming increasingly obvious that Robinson is a defensive piece for this team, and an important one at that. Robinson was aggressive again, as he was in the first exhibition. He played tough defense, resulting in four steals and a surprising two blocks considering his 6’2” height.

Robinson will be a pest for opposing offenses, as his play style can be very annoying to match up against. This will be especially true against point guards who thrive on momentum and rhythm, as Robinson can easily disrupt that on just about every possession up the floor.

Robinson will also be crucial when UCLA is in need of a full-court press. Guards have a tough time getting the ball up the floor against him, and he could be UCLA's secret weapon to finish games strong on defense.

Offensive Struggles?

While Robinson may produce elite results on the defensive side, his offensive production and overall efficiency may come into question. In the last exhibition match against San Diego, Robinson shot 0-for-6 from the field, which included shooting 0-for-4 from three-point range. He ended the night with only two points offensively, both coming from the free-throw line.

It is a preseason game in October, so it's hard to base the future of Robinson's offensive output on one inefficient night. Last season, Robinson averaged 6.1 points per game at Butler, while shooting 47% from the field. It's clear Robinson provides more value on the defensive end, but that doesn't mean he can't contribute as well on offense. In fact, in UCLA’s first preseason matchup against Cal Baptist, Robinson was a double-digit scorer on 4-of-9 shooting from the field.

Moving forward, it will be interesting to see how Mick Cronin elects to use Robinson and what role he will play this season. It will be hard to keep him off the floor when UCLA needs defensive stops or steals, but he’ll have to become a well-rounded player to maximize his overall minutes.