Tag: jaylen clark

UCLA basketball returns one key player for next season, but not two

Adem Bona is staying. Jaylen Clark is not. #UCLA’s roster gets a boost but not a best-case scenario.

The UCLA Bruins received mixed news on Wednesday, the final day for NBA draft prospects to either stay in the draft or choose to return to school (and/or the transfer portal).

Big man Adem Bona will come back to UCLA for next season, giving the Bruins an active, smart, hungry rim protector and defensive force. Jaylen Clark, who could defend multiple positions on the floor and helped Bona make UCLA a very strong defensive team, is staying in the NBA draft. The Bruins got some of what they wanted, but not all.

It’s not great news for USC — Bona will be a beast for Vince Iwuchukwu and Joshua Morgan to deal with — but it’s not terrible news with Clark departing. If it’s not a best-case situation for UCLA, it’s not a worst-case situation for USC.

UCLA not getting both Clark and Bona to return probably keeps the Bruins third in the Pac-12 behind USC and Arizona.

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Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year Jaylen Clark declares for NBA draft

Clark was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year after averaging 13 points, six rebounds, 2.6 steals and 1.9 assists in 30 games.

UCLA guard Jaylen Clark announced Wednesday on social media that he has declared for the 2023 NBA draft after a productive year in which the junior pick up several season awards.

He did not specify if he’ll hire an agent or retain his college eligibility.

Clark was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year after averaging 13 points, six rebounds, 2.6 steals and 1.9 assists in 30 games. He finished sixth in the country in steals per game, second in defensive box plus-minus (plus-6.7) and 12th in defensive win shares (2.7).

He was also named to the Pac-12 All-Defensive team.

The draft announcement comes nearly one month after Clark suffered a season-ending leg injury on March 4. He said there is no timetable for his return to the court after undergoing surgery two days after suffering the injury.

Clark is projected to be a second-round pick in the draft given his ability on defense. Prospects have the opportunity to improve their draft stock in various workouts and scouting events, though it is unclear when Clark can be cleared to resume on-court activities.

He has until May 31 to withdraw from the draft and return to school.

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New pre-deadline 2023 mock has Boston Celtics drafting two forwards and a guard

Draft expert Jonathan Wasserman has put together a mock for the 2023 NBA draft that reflects the changes in the standings just ahead of the trade deadline.

NBA analysts and fans alike are fixated on the soon-to-come 2023 NBA trade deadline, as they ought to be even in the case of the Boston Celtics, who have as good of a case as any team to stand pat on Feb. 9 given their play so far this season has put them in pole position to win it all.

But draft experts are grinding away in their efforts to project what all 30 teams in the league will do with their respective draft assets, and the Celtics are no exception. To such an end, Bleacher Report draft expert Jonathan Wasserman has put together a mock for the 2023 NBA draft that reflects the changes in the standings just ahead of the trade deadline.

Let’s take a look at who he sees in green and white this summer via the trio of second round picks Boston has at their disposal in this draft.

New Bleacher Report mock sees Boston Celtics go for wing, two big men in 2023 draft

B/R has three prospects in mind for Boston’s trio of second-round picks.

At this moment in the league calendar, most fans of the Boston Celtics and the 29 other NBA teams are focused on what their favorite ball club is planning to do (or not do) by the 2023 trade deadline on Feb. 9.

But some intrepid souls have already focused on the 2023 NBA draft, which seems like a basketball eternity away. But it will arrive in the blink of an eye, and teams need to be ready. A recently updated 2023 mock draft from Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman provides the latest data set for us to mull over regarding its projections for our favorite teams.

For the Celtics, Wasserman has three prospects in mind for their trio of second-round picks.