BROOKLYN, N.Y. — It's no secret the Pac-12 conference hasn't been a men's basketball powerhouse in a long time. The last time a team from the Pac-12 won the national championship was Arizona in 1997, and last year we saw two solid programs: Arizona and UCLA, who were each ranked in the top 10 for most of the season, and a pair of low seeded tournament teams who bowed out of the NCAA Tournament early in USC and Arizona State.
A lack of tournament success doesn't always mean there is a lack of talent, however, and while most industry mock drafts aren't too bullish on the Pac-12's NBA draft hopefuls there are two players, both from UCLA, who could sneak into the first round on Thursday evening in Jaime Jaquez and Amari Bailey.
Locked on College Basketball host Isaac Schade spoke with Spencer McLaughlin of Locked on Pac-12 to discuss the odds of anyone from the conference of champions going in the first round of Thursday's NBA draft.
"I look at all those guys and I see how they could have successful NBA careers," McLaughlin said. "I also look at all of them, Jaquez included, and if you told me they were out of the league in five years I'd believe that too."
Jaquez is reportedly doing well during individual workouts, and his recent invite to the green room suggests he is viewed as a likely first round pick - although everything can change at a moment's notice.
Jaquez spent four years at UCLA as a prolific midrange scorer, averaging 17.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists last year while shooting 51.9% on twos and 31.7% from deep. His lack of an outside shot and advanced age are concerns, but his scoring and rebounding ability could make him a rotation player on Day 1 for a team looking to bolster their bench.
Bailey's perceived draft range is a little harder to pin down, as the one-and-done freshman didn't really shine until late in the season when starting guard Jaylen Clark went down with a knee injury.
Bailey is an elite sharpshooter, knocking down 38.9% of his threes last year, and if a team is willing to gamble on the driving ability and shot creation he could be a steal in the late first or early second round.
Other NBA draft hopefuls out of the Pac-12 include Arizona's Azoulas Tubelis, USC's Drew Peterson, and UCLA's Tyger Campbell, although those three players would be second round picks at best, and are generally expected to sign as undrafted free agents.
The NBA draft takes place Thursday, June 22 in Brooklyn starting at 8:00 PM ET.