UCLA basketball's Jaylen Clark has declared for the 2023 NBA Draft, according to Jeff Goodman of Stadium. He released a statement on Instagram as well.

“I'd like to thank everyone that has helped me get this far,” Jaylen Clark said in his statement. “In particular, I'm especially grateful for my coach Tony, Billy, Craig, Mitchell, Kleck and Tope for believing in me and helping me this far! I hope to be a light for the kids coming behind me. Thank you to UCLA and coach Cronin for believing in me. I'd like to announce that I am declaring for the 2023 draft.”

Clark won the Defensive Player of the Year award in the Pac-12 conference. The wrinkle in all of this is the Clark suffered an achilles injury in a game against Arizona basketball. Clark missed the Pac-12 tournament and the NCAA Tournament as well. UCLA went on to lose to Arizona basketball in the Pac-12 tournament a week after Clark suffered his injury.

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UCLA basketball entered the NCAA Tournament as a two seed. The Bruins beat UNC Ashville and Northwestern in the first two rounds, then lost to Gonzaga in a wild game in the Elite Eight.

Clark remains able to return to school, as he has two years of eligibility left. He averaged 13 points and six rebounds per game this season, according to sports reference.. It will be interesting how he will fare in the 2023 NBA Draft while he is still dealing with his injury. Being an achilles injury, it is possible that a team could draft him and have him rehab with them in his first year in the league.