UCLA four-year starting point guard and three-time All-Pac-12 player Tyger Campbell declared for the NBA draft, forgoing his final year of eligibility.
Later Thursday, Campbell’s backcourt mate and All-Pac-12 freshman Amari Bailey declared as well.
Campbell and Bailey become the third and fourth Bruins players to enter the draft, joining Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Jaylen Clark.
“I take a lot of pride in the success we have had, and that’s the result of a lot of hard work and commitment,” Campbell posted to his Instagram page Wednesday night. “I’m graduating from UCLA and looking forward to the next step in my basketball career. With aspirations to play professionally, I am declaring for the NBA Draft.”
Campbell averaged 11.1 points and 4.9 assists in 133 career games (all starts) for UCLA. He finishes second on the school’s all-time assists list with 655 and his games played ranks 10th. He shot 85.6 percent from the foul line this past season, tops in the Pac-12.
Campbell had one year of eligibility left — the extra COVID year granted by the NCAA.
“This was an emotional last run for the two of us, as we both worked so hard together to make UCLA elite again,” Bruins coach Mick Cronin said in a statement. “We know that Tyger has a long future in pro basketball, and I hope that I’m coaching long enough to hire him on my staff someday, as well.”
The 6-foot-5 Bailey averaged 11.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 30 games (28 starts) for the Bruins.
“Since I was 3 years old, basketball has been my first and only love,” Bailey posted to Instagram. “I have decided to bet on myself and turn my dreams into reality and enter the 2023 NBA Draft.”
Bailey is bidding farewell to UCLA, according to his mother, who told ESPN that he is “full-fledged in declaring for the draft.”
Bailey is expected to be an early second-round pick.
Cronin picked up a roster addition on Thursday with the commitment of 6-foot-6 wing Ilane Fibleuil of France, who also considered Gonzaga and moving to the G League. He announced his decision on Instagram but also spoke to 247Sports.
“It’s a dream come true for me,” he told the outlet. “I just loved my visit, the city. The campus was amazing. I met great people over there, and so it’s not just one thing that made me pick UCLA over the other options.”
He will turn 18 in June.
–Field Level Media
