Several UCLA products projected to come off board in ESPN's 2022 NBA Mock Draft
No Bruins heard their names called at either the 2020 or 2021 NBA Draft.
If ESPN's predictions are to be believed, don't expect that streak to continue in 2022.
ESPN's Johnathan Givony released his full 2022 NBA Mock Draft on Friday, just one day after the 2021 draft concluded. He had a trio of UCLA men's basketball players slated to get picked next June, based on what he's hearing about this pool of prospects in addition to his own scouting impressions.
Incoming freshman small forward Peyton Watson was the first off the board in Givony's mock draft, with the Chicago Bulls selecting him with the No. 9 overall pick. Forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. went No. 28 to the Milwaukee Bucks, while wing Johnny Juzang was paired with the Sacramento Kings at No. 37.
The draft order was determined by each team's 2022 NBA Championship odds from Casars Sportsbook.
Should he go to the Bulls at No. 9, Watson would be the first Bruin drafted in the top 10 since Lonzo Ball went to the Los Angeles Lakers at No. 2 overall in 2017. Ball is the only UCLA alum to go in the top 10 in the last 13 drafts, and it's happened just six times since 1980.
In his final two seasons at Long Beach Poly (CA), Watson averaged 22.8 points per game and was a 46/35/75 shooter throughout his high school career.
Watson would be joining a very Bruin-heavy squad in Chicago, considering they're led by All-Star Zach LaVine and just traded for Ball when NBA free agency opened on Monday.
Jaquez would also have some Westwood ties on the Bucks roster as well. Milwaukee won the 2021 NBA Championship in July, with former UCLA guard Jrue Holiday playing a major part in getting the Bucks over the hump. Taking after Holiday's ability to impact the game on both sides of the court, Jaquez led UCLA in total points, rebounds, steals and blocks this season.
Juzang is projected to be the lowest-drafted Bruin, despite the fact he was the only one of this trio who actually declared for the 2021 NBA Draft and stayed in the pool until the final day. Aside from being UCLA's leading scorer in the regular season with 14.2 points per game, Juzang's 22.8 points per game in March Madness helped fuel the Bruins to their first Final Four appearance since 2008.
There was no mention of forward Cody Riley, who also declared for the 2021 draft before announcing his intentions to return to UCLA a few hours before Juzang.
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