Kris Wilkes commits to 2019 NBA Draft, forfeiting NCAA eligibility
UCLA men’s basketball sophomore guard Kris Wilkes hired an agent and will enter his name into the 2019 NBA Draft. By hiring an agent, Wilkes will not be eligible to return to the NCAA. (Michael Zshornack/Daily Bruin senior staff)
By Ryan Smith
March 19, 2019 6:14 p.m.
Kris Wilkes is the first Bruin to commit to the NBA this offseason.
Per CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein, the sophomore guard will hire an agent and enter his name in the 2019 NBA Draft pool, foregoing his final two years of college eligibility. Because Wilkes officially hired an agent, he will not be able to return to UCLA to play basketball.
Wilkes is projected to be a late-first-round pick after averaging 17.3 points and 4.8 rebounds for the Bruins this past season, which earned him a second-team All-Pac-12 conference selection. Over his two-year college career, Wilkes started in 65 of the 66 games he appeared in, and helped UCLA reach the NCAA tournament as a freshman in 2018.
The attention will now shift to rising junior guard Jaylen Hands and rising sophomore center Moses Brown – both of whom are candidates to follow Wilkes to the pros.
