National Basketball Association

UCLA guard Kris Wilkes to skip NBA draft, return to school

Published May. 29, 2018 4:55 p.m. ET

LOS ANGELES (AP) UCLA guard Kris Wilkes will skip next month's NBA draft and return to school for his sophomore season.

He averaged 13.7 points and 4.9 rebounds - both second-best on the team - last season. The Indianapolis native was named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman team.

Coach Steve Alford said Tuesday that Wilkes knows he'll have a bigger role with the Bruins next season. He said he sees Wilkes as a future first-round draft pick.

Wilkes said going through the pre-draft process was ''an eye-opening experience'' that he knows will help him improve.

Guard Jaylen Hands has until Wednesday to withdraw his name from the draft. The freshman didn't hire an agent while he sought feedback on his pro prospects, which would allow him to return to school.

Hands averaged 9.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists, starting 15 of the 31 games he played. He sprained his ankle in practice the week before the Bruins' regular-season finale.

The Bruins lost guard Aaron Holiday, who is forgoing his senior year to enter the draft. He averaged a Pac-12-leading 20.3 points last season.

UCLA was 21-12 and lost in a First Four game to St. Bonaventure.

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