The 2022–23 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team represented the University of California, Los Angeles during the 2022–23 NCAA Division I season. The Bruins were led by fourth-year head coach Mick Cronin, and they played their home games at Pauley Pavilion as members of the Pac-12 Conference. Guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. was named a second-team All-American. He was voted the Pac-12 Player of the Year, and received first-team All-Pac-12 honors along with guard Tyger Campbell. Guard Jaylen Clark was named to the second team and was voted the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. He was placed on the conference's all-defensive team along with forward Adem Bona, who was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. Amari Bailey joined Bona on the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team, and Cronin was voted the Pac-12 Coach of the Year.
UCLA lost five players who were major contributors from their previous year's squad that went 27–8. However, the Bruins were also the only team in the power conferences whose roster consisted entirely of players who began their college careers at that school. With a 60–56 win over Colorado on February 26, 2023, the Bruins clinched their first Pac-12 regular season championship since 2012–13. UCLA ended the regular season with an 82–73 win over No. 8 Arizona, extending their home winning streak to 25 games, the longest active streak in the nation. They won the conference by four games and finished the season undefeated at home for the first time since 2006–07. Clark left the game with a lower leg injury, and was ruled out for the Pac-12 tournament. The top-seeded Bruins advanced to the tournament finals before losing 61–59 to No. 2-seed Arizona, ending their 12-game winning streak. UCLA played without its top two defenders, as Bona also missed the game with an injured left shoulder, which he suffered in the semifinals against Oregon.
The Bruins, who were vying for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, received a No. 2 seed in the West Region. It was their highest seeding since they were placed No. 1 in 2008. However, Clark was ruled out for the season. Bona was cleared to return in their opener, but he did not play in the 86–53 rout over No. 15-seed UNC Asheville. He played in the second round against Northwestern, which UCLA won to advance to the Sweet Sixteen for the third straight season. The Bruins were eliminated 79–76 by third-seeded Gonzaga. UCLA led by 13 points at halftime, but were down by 10 in the second half with 2:40 remaining. They outscored the Bulldogs 14–3, culminating with a three-point field goal by Bailey to take a one-point lead. However, Gonzaga's Julian Strawther made a basket with six seconds remaining, and they held on for the win. Bona sat out the game due to his shoulder. The game was rematch of the schools' Final Four matchup from 2021, also won by the Bulldogs, on a buzzer beater by Jalen Suggs to end the game. It was the Bruins' third consecutive loss to the Bulldogs in as many seasons.
Offseason
Departures UCLA DeparturesNamePos.HeightWeightYearHometownReason for Departure Jake Kyman G/F 6'7" 215 Junior Aliso Viejo, CA Transferred to Wyoming Jules Bernard G 6’5” 207 Senior Los Angeles, CA Graduated; Declared for the 2022 NBA Draft Myles Johnson C 6'10" 255 RS Senior Long Beach, CA Retired to focus on master's degreeJohnny JuzangSF6'7"215JuniorTarzana, CADeclared for the 2022 NBA draft Peyton Watson PF 6'8" 200 Freshman Long Beach, CA Declared for the 2022 NBA draft Cody Riley SF 6'9" 250 RS Senior Kansas City, KS Graduated; Declared for the 2022 NBA draft
Source:
2022 recruiting class
Preseason
Preseason rankings October 17 – No. 8 AP Top 25 poll October 26 – Pac-12 Men's Basketball Media Day in San Francisco
Preseason All-Americans/All-conference Jaime Jaquez Jr., first-team preseason All-American, Field of 68’s Almanac Jaime Jaquez Jr., first-team All-America selection, CBS Sports Tyger Campbell, Jaime Jaquez Jr. first team Media Preseason All-conference; Amari Bailey, Jaylen Clark, honorable mention
Preseason award watchlists Tyger Campbell, Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award watch list Amari Bailey, Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award watch list Jaime Jaquez Jr., Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award watch list Adem Bona, the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award (center) watch list Jaime Jaquez Jr., NABC Player of the Year Award watch list
Roster
Schedule and results
!colspan=12 style=| Exhibition
!colspan=12 style=|Regular season
!colspan=12 style=|
!colspan=12 style=|
Source:
Statistics Updated through Mar 6, 2023 Scoring 2299 1864 Scoring Average 74.2 60.1 Field goals - Att 875–1896 673–1652 Field goal % .461 .407 3-point field goals - Att 190–545 203–652 3-point % .349 .311 Free throws - Att 359–500 315–450 Free throw % .718 .700 Rebounds 1118 985 Assists 447 348 Turnovers 327 504 Steals 269 151 Blocked Shots 119 85
Rankings
*AP does not release post-NCAA Tournament rankings
Awards and honors Recipient Award (Pac-12 Conference) Stats (PPG/RPG/APG) Week Date awarded Ref.Amari Bailey Freshman of the Week16.5 PPG/5.5 RPG/2.0 APG 3 November 28Amari Bailey Freshman of the Week15.5 PPG/6.0 RPG/3.5 APG 4 December 5Dylan AndrewsFreshman of the Week11.0 PPG/4.0 RPG/6.0 APG5December 12 Jaime Jaquez Jr. Player of the Week 16.5 PPG/9.5 RPG/4.0 SPG/2.0 APG 6 December 19 Adem Bona Freshman of the Week 12.5 PPG/4.5 RPG/2.5 BPG/1.5 SPG 8 January 2 Adem Bona Freshman of the Week 9 January 9 Jaime Jaquez Jr. Player of the Week 10 February 13 Amari Bailey Freshman of the Week 10 February 13 Amari Bailey Freshman of the Week 12 February 27 Jaime Jaquez Jr. Player of the Week 17 March 6 Jaime Jaquez Jr. Player of the YearAll-Pac-12 first-team - March 7 Adem Bona Freshman of the YearAll-Pac-12 All-Freshman TeamAll-Pac-12 All-Defense Team - March 7 Jaylen Clark Defensive Player of the YearAll-Pac-12 second-teamAll-Pac-12 All-Defense Team - March 7 Mick Cronin Coach of the Year - March 7 Tyger Campbell All-Pac-12 first-team - March 7 Amari Bailey All-Pac-12 All-Freshman Team - March 7 November 15, 2022 – Tyger Campbell and Jaime Jaquez Jr. named to the John R. Wooden Award watch list February 17, 2023 – Head coach Mick Cronin named to the 2023 Werner Ladder Naismith Men’s College Coach of the Year candidates list March 8, 2023 – Jaime Jaquez Jr. named a finalist for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award March 10, 2023 – Jaime Jaquez Jr. named a semifinalist for the Naismith College Player of the Year; Head coach Mick Cronin named a semifinalist for the Naismith College Coach of the Year March 14, 2023 – Jaylen Clark named a finalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award March 28, 2023 – Jaylen Clark named the NABC Defensive Player of the Year April 2, 2023 – Jaylen Clark is the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award winner April 4, 2023 – Jaylen Clark is the NABC Defensive Player of the Year Award winner July 20, 2023 – Russell Stong is named to the NABC's Honors Court
Team players drafted in the NBA
Year Round Pick Player NBA Team2023 1 18 Jaime Jaquez Jr. Miami Heat 2 41 Amari Bailey Charlotte Hornets 2 53 Jaylen Clark Minnesota Timberwolves
Tyger Campbell signed a Summer League contract with the NBA Orlando Magic David Singleton signed a free agency contract with the NBA Atlanta Hawks
Notes
References