UCLA Basketball: Kris Wilkes has declared for the NBA Draft

UCLA basketball sophomore Kris Wilkes has officially hired an agent and has declared for the NBA Draft, foregoing his final two seasons of eligibility with the Bruins.

Less than a week after the UCLA basketball team ended their season with a quarterfinal loss to Arizona State in the Pac-12 Tournament, the Bruins have already lost one member of the 2018-19 squad as sophomore forward Kris Wilkes is entering the NBA Draft.

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Wilkes made his announcement on Tuesday afternoon after hiring an agent which makes him ineligible to return to UCLA. Wilkes has tested the waters of the NBA Draft a year ago but decided to return to Westwood after getting feedback in the combine.

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This season, Wilkes led the Bruins in scoring with 17.4 points per game and was a second team All-Pac-12 selection.

Wilkes has the ability to score from almost everywhere on the floor whether it is driving the lane or hitting shots from outside. At 6’8, he has the height advantage over smaller backcourt and wing players, but can also post up in the paint.

Although what Wilkes needs to do is capitalize on his strength which is the mid-range jumper. He is quick and long enough to dominate just outside the key, but can also sink a lot of shots from the outside.

A few mock draft boards have Wilkes being selected late in the second round, though he could move up with a strong performance in the 2019 NBA Combine.

With Wilkes’ departure, the Bruins still need one more player to move on so that they can make room for freshmen SF Jaime Jacquez and SG Jake Kyman who will join the team in the summer. Currently, UCLA is using 12 of their 13 allotted scholarships.

One speculation is that sophomore PG Jaylen Hands, who joined Wilkes in testing the waters last year, could also declare for the draft.