Last season may not have gone the way that Wannah Bail, who is recovering from knee surgery, would have liked, but next year he could be in line for a breakout season at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Bail got off to a slow start at UCLA, averaging just 1.6 points per game in his freshman season. Next season, Bail could find himself in a similar situation to that of National Basketball Association (NBA) player Thomas Robinson of the Portland Trailblazers, during his sophomore and junior seasons for the Kansas University (KU) Jayhawks.
Robinson's game style was similar to the one that Bail possesses. He was an athletic power forward who played tough defense and had offensive potential, but found himself coming off the bench behind twins Marcus and Markeiff Morris, who now play for the Phoenix Suns.
Other schools offered Robinson the opportunity to play more minutes right away but Robinson elected to stay because of the confidence, skills and competitive spirit that he felt he gained battling against the Morris twins every day at practice.
At times when Robinson was on the floor with both brothers simultaneously, he would find himself getting wide open looks due to the attention that they drew. Those open looks helped to build Robinson's confidence. Kansas Head Coach Bill Self rewarded him, as he often went to the three-forward line-up.
Bail found himself in a similar position behind the Wear twins, David and Travis, at UCLA.
After the Morris twins left Kansas, Robinson was able to raise his game to the next level and become the Jayhawks' leading scorer and rebounder. Going into the 2014-15 season, Bail has a chance to make the same strides with his game. The 6'9" forward is just 21 years old and is still growing into his 215-pound frame. With the departure of UCLA starter Kyle Anderson and key reserve Zach Lavine, more minutes will be opened up to Bail.
Next season, he could float between the small and power forward positions. At small forward, he will have a chance to show off the athleticism that made him such a sought-after recruit. He has the length and foot speed to keep up with the smaller, faster wing players and the strength to resist being bullied around banging down low with the larger forwards.
There is still a lot of work that needs to be done to his offensive game, which is still very raw, but Bail should be able to rely on his athleticism to become a consistent scorer in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I basketball.
Bail may not be ready to make the jump to the NBA after this season, but with enough work to his offensive game he will have a chance to establish himself as a potential draft candidate in the very near future.

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