UCLA Men's Basketball Guard Jaylen Clark Remains in NBA Draft
The Bruins secured a key returnee earlier Wednesday, but lost a different veteran a few hours later.
UCLA men's basketball guard Jaylen Clark is staying in the 2023 NBA Draft, the junior told multiple outlets Wednesday night. Clark had until midnight to lock in the decision he initially made on March 29, and he wound up forgoing his final two years of eligibility in favor of turning pro.
Clark follows guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr., point guard Tyger Campbell, guard Amari Bailey and guard David Singleton to the NBA Draft, while center Adem Bona withdrew Wednesday morning after several weeks of testing the waters.
Even if Clark had joined Bona in returning to college, he likely wouldn't have seen the court until early 2024 due to the major Achilles injury he suffered on March 4. That injury cost him appearances in the postseason, and it cut his breakout junior year short.
Clark averaged 13.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.6 steals and 0.3 blocks per game in 30 appearances, while also leading UCLA and the Pac-12 in steals per game, steal percentage, defensive rating, defensive box plus/minus and overall box plus/minus.
As a result, Clark became the first Bruin to win Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year since Russell Westbrook in 2008. Clark also made the All-Pac-12 Second Team and Pac-12 All-Defensive Team, before eventually securing NABC Defensive Player of the Year and Naismith Defensive Player of the Year honors.
“Jaylen has been a winning player at UCLA for three years, and we are a better program because he chose to be a Bruin," coach Mick Cronin said in a statement. "Jaylen is a classic case that player evaluation and a player’s intangibles matter. He has had three great years in Westwood. We will miss him but we wish him all the best. Jaylen will always be a Bruin and hopefully one of the more than 120-plus Bruins who were NBA Draft picks before him.”
Clark came in at No. 43 on The Athletic's 2023 NBA Draft Top 100 Big Board on May 2, but that was before the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago. Due to his injury, Clark was unable to participate in drills and scrimmages, but he did undergo measurements.
Despite being listed at 6-foot-5 by UCLA, Clark came in at 6-foot-4 at the combine. Clark's 6-foot-9 wingspan was a plus, but his height may not be ideal for a guard at the NBA level considering his 30.2% career clip from 3-point range.
Clark could still sign a G League contract while he recovers and continues to develop, and an NBA career could be in his future a few years down the line.
With Clark leaving, the Bruins have an extra scholarship open on next year's roster. Even if UCLA locks up Spanish center Aday Mara and its other unnamed international target, there will still be room to add a transfer – such as Rutgers sharpshooter Cam Spencer, who is likely to visit Westwood in the near future.
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