In the NIL era, players are much more encouraged to stay in school before turning to the professional ranks. Student-athletes can now cash checks while still developing before heading to the NFL or NBA Draft. UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin is well aware of that fact and had some fun with the new normal following UCLA’s exhibition win on Tuesday.

Cronin was speaking to the young talent that the Bruins have on their roster and decided to include Eric Dailey Jr., who’s set to enter his fourth season of college basketball and his third with the Bruins.

“We’ve got some really good young players, JoJo (Joe Philon III), Zay (Azavier Robinson) and Jaylen Petty. Them guys are young. Hell, with the new rules, Eric Dailey may never leave,” Cronin joked. “Unless they put in an age limit.”

Not only is NIL encouraging players to stay in school, players have gotten creative and have found legal loopholes to remain in school. It seemed that Skyy Clark and Donovan Dent would both be out eligibility after spending last season with UCLA but both have been granted an extra year, and will spend it with the LSU Tigers.

Cronin failed to mention UCLA’s most heralded young player, with 17-year old Nikola Kusturica not being mentioned among the Bruins’ other young talent. Despite Kusturica’s young age, he has started both of UCLA’s exhibition games and will immediately play a big role on this year’s team.

While Cronin may joke about Dailey sticking around, the young talent UCLA has assembled is no joke.