UCLA Basketball: Jaime Jaquez Jr. Receives 2023 Student-Athlete Award

The definition of an all-around star!

The entire UCLA community stood and watched proudly as NBA commissioner Adam Silver stepped up to the podium on draft night and called Jaime Jaquez Jr's name when it was the Miami Heat's turn to pick at number 18. This was someone who had put his blood, sweat and tears into trying to help the Bruins succeed during his four seasons in college and to see him reach his ultimate goal was very special.

And it is not very often that we someone who remained all four years at their university get selected in the first round. However, I think we all know just how special Jaquez is at this point and even though he took his game to another level last season with averages of 17 points and eight rebounds, his stardom extends far beyond just the basketball court.

Get UP Jaime Jaquez 😤 pic.twitter.com/Ymrf7xnAsq

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 21, 2021

Just days after Jaquez received the life-changing news that he would be moving to Miami and continuing his basketball career at the highest-level possible, UCLA also informed him that he was a winner of the Tom Hansen Medal. That is an award that recognizes consistent excellence and leadership in both academics and athletics.

Megan Faraimo of UCLA's softball team was also named a winner!

"UCLA student-athletes (softball) and (men's basketball) have been named as 2022-23 Pac-12 Tom Hansen Medal recipients, as announced Thursday by the Pac-12 Conference office. The Pac-12 annually awards conference medals to each of its member institution's outstanding male and female student-athlete based on a combination of performance and achievement in scholarship, athletics and leadership."

(Via UCLABruins.com)

Jaquez entering the NBA at 22-years-old speaks on just how much he trusted the Bruins' organization to help him grow as both a player and a young adult. He fell in love with learning from his upperclass teammates until he eventually found himself in that role. He will be remembered as one of the best players to ever dawn a UCLA jersey and found a way to balance elite performances on the hardwood along with excellence in the classroom every single year.