A third former Bruin joins the professional ranks.

Former UCLA and Syracuse men’s basketball forward/center William Kyle III signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday after going undrafted in the 2026 NBA Draft, ESPN reported.

Kyle started all 32 games for the Orange during his senior campaign, averaging 8.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game on a 66.1% field goal percentage.

The two-way big man, who was listed on the Naismith Men’s Defensive Player of the Year Award mid-season watch list, transferred to Syracuse after a down year at UCLA during the 2024-25 season.

Kyle played in 32 games as a Bruin without a start, averaging just 9.6 minutes per contest. In limited playing time, Kyle rarely lit up the box score, averaging 2.9 points and 1.8 rebounds per game. His best game with UCLA came against Iowa on Jan. 17, 2025, when he scored 12 points and grabbed four boards, going 6-for-7 from the field.

Despite showing flashes, the Bellevue, Nebraska, local consistently struggled to see the hardwood in meaningful action, sitting behind Aday Mara and Tyler Bilodeau at the center spot – the No. 12 and No. 43 picks in the 2026 NBA Draft, respectively.

And the Bruins felt the effects of having Kyle on the pine, finishing the 2024-25 regular season as the No. 14 and No. 15 in the Big Ten in blocks and rebounds per game, respectively.

Kyle’s lack of playing time seems even more confusing given the impact he made in the frontcourt at South Dakota State, where the forward started his collegiate career.

The forward spent two seasons with the Jackrabbits, averaging 13.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game during his sophomore campaign, earning him 2024 All-Summit League First Team and Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Kyle’s Exhibit 10 contract is a one-year, nonguaranteed contract worth the NBA’s minimum salary, and is primarily used in the offseason and during training camp for undrafted players that teams want to add to their Summer League squad or G-League affiliate. Teams have the opportunity to turn an Exhibit 10 contract into a two-way deal before the start of the season.

The former Bruin figures to see action on the Lakers’ Summer League team, where he can display his defensive tenacity as a rim protector and offensive efficiency as a rim runner. Kyle’s athleticism should bode well in the NBA, giving him the defensive versatility many teams desire.

Despite his slim body of work in Westwood, the 6-foot-9, 230-pound big man can jump out of the gym, and he didn’t let minimal playing time stop him from showing that at Pauley Pavilion.

Kyle’s impact may not have panned out in the Big Ten, but his effectiveness was surely felt in the ACC, where he ranked No. 13 in rebounds and second in blocks per game.

The NBA Summer League will commence on July 9 in Las Vegas, where Kyle will get his first chance to play in Lakers threads.

Email Dullinger at [email protected] or tweet @CDullyDB.