Clark was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft. He is expected to make an impact in the NBA as a defensive-minded guard who can also score and rebound.
Clark is a tough, physical player who is known for his defense and his hustle and may have been drafted higher if it wasn’t for his Achilles injury. He is also a capable scorer and rebounder and his numbers at UCLA prove it. He is a versatile player who can play both on and off the ball.
Clark is a good leader on the court and is known for his positive attitude. He is also a good teammate who is willing to do whatever it takes to help his team win and he was Naismith Defensive Player of the Year as well as two time consecutive Pac-12 All-Defensive Team member.
Highlighted are some of Jaylen Clark’s strengths as a basketball player as he enters the NBA:
Defense: He is a tough, physical defender who is not afraid to get physical.
Hustle: He is a hustle player who is always willing to go for loose balls and rebounds.
Leadership: He is a good leader on the court who his teammates can count on.
Attitude: He has a positive attitude and is always willing to do whatever it takes to help his team win.
Here are some possibilities of Jaylen Clark’s reasons why he was not drafted higher in the second round:
He was not a great shooter from the perimeter in his first two seasons at UCLA but he improved on his outside shooting this past season.
He needs to improve his ballhandling in the NBA against talented and athletic guards who will be going up against him.
Overall, Jaylen Clark is a talented basketball player who has the potential to be a valuable player in the NBA. He is a tough, physical defender who is also a capable scorer and rebounder. If he can improve his shooting and his ballhandling, he could be a very good player in the NBA.
*Tyger Cambell was not drafted and did not sign with an NBA team at the time this article was published.