The 2026 NBA Draft is set to take place June 23-24, during which 60 new names will be called into the league. UCLA men’s basketball’s most recent draft selection was former center Adem Bona, who was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 41st pick in 2024. After the Bruins failed to produce a draftee in last year’s cycle, they will have just one opportunity in 2026 to prevent a two-year dry spell in Tyler Bilodeau.

The forward was the only Bruin invited to the NBA Draft Combine, with guard Donovan Dent – the 2025 Mountain West Player of the Year – going uninvited and subsequently retiring from basketball. Sports editor Jacob Nguyen breaks down Bilodeau’s strengths and weaknesses ahead of the NBA Draft and predicts where the Bruin may end up being selected.

Strengths

Bilodeau’s most appealing trait for NBA teams is easily his three-point shooting.

The 6-foot-9, 235-pound prospect increased his number of outside attempts per game every season of his collegiate career, finishing with 4.5 shots per contest that he nailed at a 46.4% clip – the best in the Big Ten – through his senior season.

Most of his attempts from deep came off catch-and-shoot opportunities at the top of the key, benefiting from playing alongside a deep rotation of guards like Dent, Trent Perry, Skyy Clark, Dylan Andrews and Sebastian Mack.

It’s no secret that the NBA is leaning toward a perimeter-centric game, and there’s no exception for big men.

Every All-NBA First and Second Team selection this past season that stood 6-foot-8-plus attempted at least four three-pointers per game. NBA teams’ willingness to take a chance on Bilodeau will be heavily dependent on their trust in his deep-threat ability.

But what could make Bilodeau even more intriguing to scouts is his three-level scoring potential.

The Kennewick, Washington, local was not scared to take mid-range shots – an otherwise fading art in the NBA – and consistently used his high release to shoot over defenders. Bilodeau also had a knack for working out of the mid-to-low block, where his back-to-the-basket game and footwork provided UCLA with easy points around the rim.

Bilodeau’s soft interior touch is complemented by his larger frame, allowing him to routinely muscle through contact and match up decently with other bigs.

Weaknesses

Despite his shooting prowess, Bilodeau will be heavily limited by his lack of versatility.

On one hand, the former Oregon State Beaver lacks the dribbling finesse and agility to be a viable wing option, unable to beat stronger defenders off the dribble or create advantages in isolation. UCLA’s hastened offense in the 2025-26 season was mainly due to the acquisition of Dent, as opposed to an evolution from Bilodeau, meaning the next level might be a challenge for the latter.

Interestingly, Bilodeau’s limited ball-handling is likely why he opted to attack the post so much in the first place.

On the other hand, Bilodeau’s lack of defensive acumen and rotational quickness prevents him from being a small-ball big. Bilodeau was never known as a lockdown defender – totaling just 46 blocks and 74 steals across four NCAA seasons – meaning NBA coaches may not trust him enough to see valuable playing time as a center if he cannot contain faster guards or slow down larger big men.

Should he be drafted, Bilodeau would likely be no more than a backup stretch four.

While he was a common beneficiary of low-post dump-offs for easy dunks, Bilodeau almost only slammed with two hands off both feet, indicating his limited skillset as a pure athlete. In other words, the forward is unlikely to assert significant rim pressure in the NBA against bigger and stronger players of the same position.

Coupled with his limited playmaking capabilities – never averaging more than 1.5 assists per game any year in college – Bilodeau’s potential role in the NBA appears to be rather niche.

Prediction: Minnesota Timberwolves (59th overall)

It’s not uncommon for well-established contenders to draft older NBA rookies.

And Bilodeau could very well be no exception.

Coming off two conference finals exits in the past three years, the Timberwolves are not in a position to take a chance on raw talent. If they hope to take the next step, Minnesota may be inclined to gamble on someone more proven, like Bilodeau, who would come in at 22 years old, having started all but one game he appeared in over his last three collegiate seasons.

Bilodeau has compared himself to other prolific sharp-shooting role players, like Dean Wade and Cameron Johnson. With the Timberwolves’ two rookies last year being young, unproven bigs without a consistent three-point jumper, Bilodeau could be an early impact reserve that provides more frontcourt depth for a squad that lacked consistent backup options outside of Naz Reid.

In a draft that has seen significantly more names drop out, the shortened pool of players means fewer people for Bilodeau to beat.

Despite several mock drafts having the Bruin go undrafted, 2026 could be the year UCLA hears its name called once again.