UCLA basketball’s Donovan Dent sounds off on shocking retirement decision

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The last year or so has been a rollercoaster ride for Donovan Dent. The former New Mexico Lobos basketball star was named the Mountain West Player of the Year in 2025 after he averaged 20.4 points per game as a junior. He then transferred to UCLA, where it was assumed he’d establish himself as one of the best players in college basketball.

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The guard got off to an incredibly slow start with the Bruins, though. The Riverside, California, native only surpassed the 20-point threshold thrice in his first 17 games. The low of his season came against Penn State on Jan. 14 when he went scoreless. Dent then seemed to rediscover his confidence and talent in the back half of the season. The 6-foot-2 guard led a late push by UCLA that resulted in the team winning a March Madness game.

However, Dent’s career came to a close with the announcement of his retirement. Once viewed as a potential draft prospect, Dent is opting to pursue youth basketball training in Albuquerque, New Mexico, over a career in professional hoops.

“It was a long talk with my family after the season,” Dent explained on his decision to retire. “I wanted to make sure they understood my side of it and that they supported me through it. Once they did, it was really easy for me to adjust to it.”