3 Draft prospects the Chicago Bulls should target in the Sweet 16

1. Jaime Jaquez Jr., UCLA

This year’s UCLA squad has a few players that will warrant some attention in the upcoming draft, but none more so than fourth-year senior Jaime Jaquez Jr. Leading this Bruins team in points and rebounds, while also being second in assists, steals, and blocks, Jaquez is the type of player that emulates the Javonte Green style of doing everything and being everywhere all at once.

Jaquez came out hot in the first round, posting a very solid 17 points and 8 rebounds, but what really impressed me was the 5 steals he racked up by disrupting UNC Asheville with his elite court awareness and handles. UCLA trounced the Bulldogs 86-53 before dispatching Northwestern 68-63 in the round of 32.

Although Northwestern seemed to have a real shot at pulling off the upset, Jaquez was the stabilizing presence that led the Bruins through the storm as he played in 39 of the game’s 40 minutes and scored a game-high 24 points on 11-of-19 shooting. He also contributed 8 rebounds and 4 assists, impacting the game on all three levels to help UCLA advance to the Sweet 16.

Much like the other players on this list, Jaquez’s age may repel teams in the mid-first-round from picking him where he likely deserves to go. The allure of potential is just too strong to resist for rebuilding teams, but for a team like the Chicago Bulls, adding an NBA-ready player like Jaquez would make a massive difference. As we’ve seen with Tyrese Haliburton, Desmond Bane, and Jimmy Butler in the past, sometimes that’s the best move you can make.

The Ringer currently has Jaquez ranked 29th on their draft board, meaning he’ll be an attractive option for teams built to win now in the late first round and early second round. If he leads UCLA over Gonzaga here in the Sweet 16, however, it’ll be that much harder to deny Jaquez’s NBA potential.