Freshman guard/forward Kris Wilkes has withdrawn his name from the 2018 NBA draft pool and will head back to UCLA for his sophomore season, the school announced today (via Twitter). Jon Rothstein of FanRag Sports first reported Wilkes’ decision (via Twitter).
“I’m grateful to everybody at UCLA who has been supporting me and helping me through the pre-draft process,” Wilkes said in a statement. “It was certainly an eye-opening experience, one that I know is going to help me get better. I’m excited for the summer and for our season ahead, and I’m ready to get to work. Go Bruins!”
In his freshman season with the Bruins, Wilkes emerged as a reliable contributor for Steve Alford‘s squad, averaging 13.7 PPG and 4.9 RPG with a .441/.352/.655 shooting line. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony ranked Wilkes 69th on his big board of 2018 NBA draft prospects.
Wilkes’ decision was one of two big ones the Bruins were waiting on — Jaylen Hands will also have to decide by the end of the day on Wednesday whether he’s going pro or returning to UCLA.