UCLA's Bilodeau Will Be Wild Card Come NBA Draft Night

The NBA Draft is less than a week away, and Bilodeau is the only Bruin projected to be selected.

Mar 12, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Trent Perry (0) and forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) smile during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The NBA Draft is less than a week away, and Tyler Bilodeau is projected to be the only Bruin selected in the draft.

Last year, the Bruins had a disappointing year. Starting the year as the 12th-ranked team in the preseason, they finished unranked with a 24-12 record and were eliminated in the second round of March Madness.

Mar 13, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) defends against Michigan State Spartans center Carson Cooper (15) during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

While the Bruins may have had an underwhelming season, Tyler Bilodeau did not, as he averaged a career high in points with 17.6 per game on 51.8% shooting from the field and 46% shooting from three, as well as a career high at the free throw line at 87% shooting.

Bilodeau had such a great season with the Bruins, and while not considered a first-round pick, he is still projected as a second-round choice and could be a good player to come off the bench for a good team at the next level. With the NBA Draft coming up soon, let's look at where he is projected to land.

ESPN

ESPN’s Jeremy Woo released his latest two-round mock draft, and Bilodeau is selected by the Los Angeles Clippers with the 52nd pick.

The Clippers got lucky in the NBA Draft Lottery and have the fifth overall pick after being projected to lose it to the Indiana Pacers. Bilodeau is a player who can be a great bench option, as he can space the floor for Kawhi Leonard, the newly acquired Darius Garland, and the fifth overall pick.

Tyler Bilodeau as a Player

Mar 3, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers orward Berke Buyuktuncel (9) drives to the basket as UCLA Bruins forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) moves in to defend during the 2nd half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

As I mentioned earlier, Bilodeau was the Bruins' best player last season and one of the few reasons they made the NCAA Tournament.

Biladeau is a great shooter from beyond the arc, as he can move without the ball and run the pick-and-pop effectively. Biladeau is also someone who can play in the post and can hit a fade-away jumper. With his 6-9, 235-pound frame, he is not a pushover, as he can use his body to back his defenders off.

Feb 21, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) runs back on defense after scoring a three-point basket during the second half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Biladeau is also someone who can help on defense if needed, but is not the best on-ball defender. The big question for the Clippers this offseason is whether or not they keep or trade Kawhi Leonard. If the Clippers decide to keep him, there is no one better to learn from about on-ball defense than Leonard, as he has consistently been one of the best overall defenders in the NBA when he is on the court.