NBA Draft Scouting Report: UCLA's Jaylen Clark

Scouting Report: Jaylen Clark

Contents

1. Prospect Profile
2. Highlights
3. Draft Projection
4. 2023 Big Board

Jaylen Clark

Guard | UCLA

Height: 6'5” | Weight: 205 lbs

2023 Draft Age: 21.63

Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

Prospect Profile

A former four-star recruit in class of 2020, Clark has taken some time to come around, but has really blossomed into solid player with NBA upside. After being one of best reserves in the country as a sophomore, he became a solidified starter as a junior and thrived in his increased role.

While his season was cut short due to an Achilles injury, he still has tremendous upside as an NBA player.

Clark has long been known for his defensive impact, which led to Pac-12 All-Defensive Team honors as sophomore and Pac-12 Defensive Player of the year more recently. He simply plays bigger than himself, defending guys much bigger than him at times while also pulling down nearly two offensive boards per game despite being a guard. He's a quick leaper that can get off the ground quicker than most to play above the rim.

He's a fantastic defender in help situations and overall raises the ceiling of his team's defense overall, scaling his impact outside of his own individual assignment. 

With a unique blend of strength, explosiveness and agility, the UCLA prospect is able to do many things that other 6-foot-5 guards are unable to do. Combine that with his high motor and constant effort, and it’s easy to see why he’s improved with each college season.

On the offensive end, Clark has doubled his scoring output year-over-year and has shown a ton of growth there. He's very smart about finding ways to get easy looks. Whether it's as a cutter or a mover, he often gets easy layups, especially when he hangs out in the dunker spot.

He's also gotten patient in the mid-range and likes to back his defender down while he surveys the floor to kick the ball back out or score.

While he would be an older prospect in the 2023 NBA Draft, the experience and poise that comes along with that balances it out. He will have played close to 100 college games by the end of this season and has a skillset that could help impact winning from day one in the NBA.

One of the traits that makes Clark so special is his nose for the ball. He’s an elite rebounder for his position, pulling down more than nearly every other power five guard in the country.

His medicals and injury outlook will be something NBA teams monitor during the pre-draft process with Clark.  

Highlights

Draft Projection

Second-Round Pick in 2023 NBA Draft.

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2023 Big Board

Want to know more about other potential 2023 NBA Draft prospects and where they might get selected? Check out our Draft Digest Pro Big Board.

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