UCLA men’s basketball forward/center Jalen Hill enters 2020 NBA Draft
Redshirt sophomore forward/center Jalen Hill led UCLA men’s basketball in rebounds and blocks this season. Hill became the second Bruin to declare for the 2020 NBA Draft on Tuesday. (Amy Dixon/Daily Bruin senior staff)
By Taiyo Keilin
April 28, 2020 11:30 p.m.
Coach Mick Cronin might be losing another player to the NBA.
After his second playing season in Westwood, Jalen Hill has declared for the 2020 NBA Draft.
The redshirt sophomore forward/center’s name was on the publicly released list of underclassmen who declared for the draft. In his second full season, Hill made 25 starts for the Bruins and averaged 9.0 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game – each good for at least second-best on the team.
Hill is the second UCLA player to declare for the draft, as junior guard Chris Smith announced his decision to declare three weeks ago. Both players are early entry candidates, meaning they have until June 3 to decide if they want to pursue professional careers or return to Westwood.
This deadline is subject to change if the NBA decides to adjust the draft, which is currently scheduled for June 25.
In his redshirt freshman season, the Corona, California, native made only 15 starts in the Bruins’ 33 games, averaging 20.2 minutes per game. Under Cronin, Hill played over 24 minutes per game and doubled his points average from 4.3 to 9.0. The redshirt sophomore also improved on his 0.4 blocks and 0.4 steals, raising those numbers to 1.1 and 0.6, respectively.
Hill’s improved defense earned him an honorable mention for the Pac-12 All Defensive Team.
