UCLA's Jaime Jaquez Jr. Declares for 2023 NBA Draft After Winning Pac-12 POY

Jaime Jaquez Jr. is going pro.

The UCLA star and 2022-23 Pac-12 Player of the Year announced on Thursday that he's declaring for this year's NBA draft:

While Jaquez played four seasons and graduated from UCLA, he had one more year of eligibility left if he wanted to return to the Bruins after the COVID-19 pandemic cut the 2019-20 season short and the NCAA didn't count that season against an athlete's eligibility.

But leaving for the NBA makes sense.

Alongside being the Pac-12 Player of the Year, Jaquez was also a consensus second-team All-America selection after averaging 17.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 48.1 percent from the field and 31.7 percent from three.

He led UCLA to 31-6 record, a regular-season conference championship, a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament and an appearance in the Sweet 16, where they lost to No. 3-seed Gonzaga.

As for his NBA upside, B/R's Jonathan Wasserman had him ranked as the No. 37 prospect available in his latest big board, noting that his "stability has been a selling point in itself, as he's consistently given UCLA needed production and toughness to win games and advance in tournaments."

That said, he added that "scouts have valid questions about how well he'll be able to separate in the NBA, a problem if the lack of three-point improvement means he's hit a permanent shooting wall."

But he brings solid size to the table on the wing at 6'7" and is an enticing two-way prospect who can get buckets inside the arc, a skill set that Wasserman believes could translate to Jaquez being "a small-ball 4 until his shot becomes more reliable."

If his perimeter shot ever improves enough for him to become a true 3-and-D wing, he could end up being a steal in the draft. Wings who can defend and shoot are in vogue in the modern NBA.

Regardless, Jaquez knows his role will be changing at the next level. Not that he's sweating it.

"It's going to be a smooth transition because I know how to play with other great players, whether it's defending the other team's best player, knocking down open shots, or being a playmaker and facilitator," he told ESPN's Jonathan Givony. "I'm an underrated passer. I believe in my shooting and the work I put in. I know I can shoot the ball. I'll do whatever, as long as we win."