Eighth grade is hard.
Most adolescents struggle to fit in with their peers while dealing with the awkward social hurdles that tend to plague the age group.
Thus, many middle schoolers focus on navigating through these uncomfortable changes.
But David Singleton prioritized basketball.
The first-year UCLA men’s basketball assistant coach set up a meeting with his high school basketball coach, despite still being an eighth grader.
“I got a call from his mom, and David wanted to meet with me individually, one on one,” said Doug Mitchell, Bishop Montgomery High School men’s basketball coach and Singleton’s former mentor. “I’ve never had this. He wanted to know what I wanted from his player, what my vision for him as a player was and what he could do to prepare himself. We sat down and we talked for a good 45 minutes to an hour about basketball and philosophy, and that just continued. He built on that relationship.”
Singleton’s desire to learn and improve on the court transformed him into a high school standout. He won the 2018 Gatorade California State Player of the Year award and led Bishop Montgomery High School to a 28-2 record his senior season.
However, the four-star recruit did not carve out the same starring role in Westwood.
The former UCLA guard made just 40 starts across 164 Bruin appearances and never exceeded an average of nine points per game in a given season during his five-year career.
Yet, Singleton helped the Bruins boast a 116-52 record during that span.
“David’s been a star,” Mitchell said. “He’s been the main, the top dog. He’s also played different roles. He also had to fight for playing time at times. David didn’t walk into a lot of things. He had to work for it. He had to earn it and he had to be patient. He can use that experience as an example for players at UCLA.”
Minimal playing time can demoralize top high school recruits once they join a college program, particularly since they have become accustomed to boasting “top dog” status.
Therefore, four- and five-star recruits that receive sparse minutes often transfer to other teams after their inaugural collegiate campaigns.
But Singleton just wanted to win, no matter the role head coach Mick Cronin needed him to play – a mindset he hopes to instill in his players as an assistant coach.
“No matter where you go or what you do, you’re going to have a role,” Singleton said. “You’re going to have to excel in that role. If you want your role to expand, you have to master that role. Because how can we ask you to do something else, or how can you expect your role to expand if you’re not mastering what we give you?”
The former NBA G League guard said one of his fondest memories while playing at UCLA was the team’s First Four to Final Four run in 2021 – the farthest point Singleton reached in the NCAA tournament throughout his UCLA career.
Singleton added that he reminisces about UCLA’s 82-73 victory against Arizona in March 2023, the game that helped former Bruin guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. clinch UCLA’s first Pac-12 Player of the Year selection in 15 years.
Singleton prospers when the team succeeds, regardless of his individual performance.
“Even when he was here, if I had actually told David, ‘Well, we don’t need to take as many shots this game to help us win the game,’ he wouldn’t have a problem with it, because he was really motivated to win,” Mitchell said. “He wanted what’s best for the team. He was a really great team guy. He’s very loyal to coach (Cronin). He’s very loyal to UCLA.”
The former guard was hired to Cronin’s staff as an assistant coach last June, marking his return to UCLA. Although he is transitioning from an on-court role to a sideline position, Singleton is still embracing a similar leadership style to that which he occupied as a player.
And the former UCLA sharpshooter – who ranks third in program history with 219 career 3-pointers made – believes he can elevate the 2025-26 squad’s performance given his unique perspective.
“I feel like I can relate to the players more because I’ve been there, done that, especially at this school, under his (Cronin’s) program,” Singleton said. “I feel like I can really be that pinnacle, that piece that really moves the needle with this team and to get where we need to go.”
Singleton has yet to achieve a national championship at UCLA, but his return to the program gives him another opportunity.
The assistant coach said he revels in the possibility that his players may one day hoist a trophy he never lifted throughout his first stint in Westwood.
Hanging banner number 12 is the ultimate goal.
But the clearest path to a championship is only paved if the players follow the precedent that Singleton set during his playing career – embracing their roles to facilitate collective success and find joy when the team thrives.
“It (a championship) will mean everything to me,” Singleton said. “I have a saying, ‘No matter if you’re a starter, you end on the bench, we all get the same ring if we win.’ That’s the mission, that’s the goal.”
Middle schoolers often lack the maturity to identify clear priorities.
Singleton didn’t – he wanted to do everything in his power to understand the role that Mitchell envisioned the guard would occupy. He wished not only to refine his own skillset but also to contribute to a winning environment built on a team-first mentality.
The assistant coach is looking to reflect his middle-school aspirations in his new role, helping breed a championship culture in Westwood.
“I want to stay at UCLA and have a long-lasting legacy here,” Singleton said.
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