Jaylen Hands, UCLA, Returning For Sophomore Year
Former five-star point guard Jaylen Hands will be returning to UCLA this fall. Hands came out of high school as one of the most hyped prospects in his class. However, a mediocre freshman year in which he averaged nine points and four assists per game likely lowered his draft stock.
Hands’ decision to withdraw from the NBA Draft did not come as a surprise to many considering, he had a good but not great combine. Returning to UCLA will benefit both parties as the team will lose Aaron Holiday. On the other side of things, the 19-year-old will have a tremendous opportunity to develop his raw talent.
Two key areas that Hands will look to improve in are his defense and decision-making. NBA General Managers love themselves an athletic point guard and Hands’ flashes of talent could make him a top-20 pick next June.