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Jaime Jaquez Jr. broke UCLA Bruins fans' hearts when he declared for the NBA draft, but it was a move observers saw coming from a mile away. He played out four years at UCLA, where he started a cult following due to his controlled aggression that won him 'the hungry dog' award twice in his time there, an award that goes to the player who has the most deflections, blocks, steals, and loose balls recovered.
This year was monumental for Jaquez Jr. He won the Pac-12 Player of the Year award and was named a consensus All-American second-team member. He dragged the UCLA Bruins to the sweet sixteen and put up a monster game of 29 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists, but it wasn't enough to topple the Gonzaga Bulldogs.
Jaime Jaquez Jr.: The pump fake master
It's always awesome when a college prospect has a move nailed on so well that he's known by his signature move alone. Jaquez Jr. certainly has his own move, and he does it so well that opponents know it's coming, but they can rarely do anything to stop it. For a big man with a reported wingspan of six feet nine, Jaquez Jr. is pretty dainty on his toes, and clips of him pump-faking opponents have made him an instant internet sensation.
Overall, he is an interestingly well-rounded player who can score from multiple positions on the floor, moves well and uses his physicality to his advantage, which will stand him in good stead in the more physical NBA games.
NBA Draft prediction
His statistics speak for themselves; he finished the season on a hot streak with a 20.5 points per game average over his last fifteen games and ten double-doubles. Many NBA teams could use a big man who is not afraid to use his physicality on the offensive and defensive end and can still put up such respectable numbers.
He is being touted as either a late first-round pick or an excellent early second-round pick which shows his vast potential, but his age looks to be counting against him, as what you see is most likely what you get.
The draft predictions seem to point towards an Oklahoma City Thunder move where he'd fit into a role-player role as he gets used to the vagaries of the league. But anyone who has seen the doggedness with which Jaime Jaquez Jr. pursues every lost ball, darts about the court to create space for his teammates, and scores from all angles, won't bet against him being a regular straight off the bat.
