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UCLA’s Jamar Brown Works Out for Western Conference Powerhouse

Brown is hoping to find his way into the NBA by impressing during workouts.
Feb 14, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines center Aday Mara (15) and UCLA Bruins guard Jamar Brown (4) go for the rebound in the first half at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Feb 14, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines center Aday Mara (15) and UCLA Bruins guard Jamar Brown (4) go for the rebound in the first half at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

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A former UCLA reserve guard is trying to find his way into an opportunity at the next level, and the name might come as a surprise. 

Unexpectedly, guard Jamar Brown recently worked out for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Brown spent his senior season with the Bruins after spending two seasons with Kansas City. In 36 appearances last season, Brown averaged 3.8 points and 2.7 rebounds per game, shooting 42 percent from the floor and 34 percent from three-point range. 

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Jan 31, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Jamar Brown (4) beats Indiana Hoosiers forward Reed Bailey (1) to a rebound in the second half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Brown Joins Clark in NBA Workouts

Brown joined guard Skyy Clark as former UCLA talents to work out for NBA teams last week. Clark — who averaged 11.5 points per game with UCLA last season — recently worked out for the Los Angeles Lakers. He was among several notable players to work out for the Lakers, joining stars such as Purdue’s Trey Kaufman-Renn and Iowa State’s Tamin Lipsey. 

The 6-foot-5, 200-pound guard may not have gotten the chance to show what he’s capable of with the Bruins, but he was a standout talent at Kansas City prior to his stint with UCLA. He averaged 17.0 points and 7.4 rebounds per game while shooting 45 percent from the field, and 40 percent from three-point land on over five attempts per game. 

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Jan 24, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Northwestern Wildcats guard Jayden Reid (4) defends UCLA Bruins guard Jamar Brown (4) as he drives to the basket in the first half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

A versatile scoring guard, Brown has plenty of talent that he did not get a chance to really show off at UCLA due to their logjam at the guard positions with Donovan Dent, Trent Perry, and Clark getting a majority of the backcourt minutes. Now out of college eligibility, Brown will be looking to prove that he can be a professional-level player in the weeks ahead. 

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Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin reacts in the second half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Brown Unlikely To Be Drafted

Brown hasn’t appeared on any mock draft boards up to this point and has been largely overlooked in the draft process. He wasn’t invited to the combine or any other showcase events, and his workout with the Thunder is likely his way of gaining exposure as he tries to find his way on a Summer League team or other professional opportunities throughout the summer months. 

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Jan 31, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Jamar Brown (4) defends Indiana Hoosiers guard Lamar Wilkerson (3) as he drives to the basket in the second overtime period at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn ImagesjjJj | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Brown isn’t the only Bruin who has been overlooked. Of anyone on last season’s roster, only Tyler Bilodeau has had any sort of attention with his name tied to the draft, and other notable talents such as Clark and Dent have been kept out of draft talks. In Dent’s case, he won’t even be pursuing a professional career at all, choosing to walk away from the game after what was a tumultuous season with the Bruins in 2025-26. 

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Justin Backer
JUSTIN BACKER

Justin Backer brings a wealth of experience to his role as a college football and basketball general sports reporter On SI. Backer is a proud graduate of Florida Atlantic University with a Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Studies, and has worked for such media companies as The Sporting News and the Palm Beach Post.