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The 2023 NBA Draft showcased SEC talent from beginning to end. The league dominated much of the time in between, sending ten talents to the professional ranks in the two-round competition. It produced the first college player off the board (Alabama's Brandon Miller at No. 2), the last player taken (Kentucky's Chris Livingston at No. 58), and much of the time in between.
However, The Draft was a big night for the UCLA Bruins. Three Players were selected in the first round, making the most for the program since 2008.
See the three NBA-bound players from UCLA in 2023 by looking closer.
Jaime Jaquez Jr
Jaime Jaquez Jr., the first Mexican selected in the first round of the NBA Draft, was the first Bruin off the board. The UCLA guard was selected 18th overall by the Miami Heat in Thursday night's first round of the NBA draft. Jaquez, who won the Lut Olson Award in 2023, was also a senior Pac-12 Player of the Year. The young admirable forward is capable of scoring from all three levels.
Amari Bailey
Amari Bailey, the youngest of the trio UCLA drafted players, was drafted in the second round of the 2023 NBA draft. He will be heading to the Hornets as the 41st overall pick.
Bailey was a five-star recruit who was ranked as one of the top players in the class of 2022 and was selected as a McDonald's All-American in high school. Bailey is a dynamic scorer who can create his shot.
Jaylen Clark
Jaylen Clark was the final UCLA Bruin Player to be drafted in the second round of Thursday's night NBA. The Minnesota Timberwolves announced the defensive stalwart with the No. 53 overall pick. Clark was a four-year starter at UCLA, the first defensive player of the year winner since Russell Westbrook, and a two-time All-Pac-12 selection.
Clark, Bailey, and Jaquez, who made it to the final draft of the 2023 NBA Draft, all have what it takes to be future stars in the NBA. They join the list of greats from UCLA Bruins, the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Walton, and Kevin Love.
It can be argued that the success of the Bruins in the 2023 NBA Draft is evidence of their long history. Their latest advancement to the final four in 2021 is another testament to their capacity to continue developing NBA talent in the years to come.
