LOS ANGELES (AP) UCLA guard Jaylen Hands has withdrawn his name from the NBA draft and will return to school for his sophomore season.
Hands joins guard Kris Wilkes in deciding to forgo the pro ranks to play a second season in college.
Hands averaged 9.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists for the Bruins last season. The San Diego native started 15 of 31 games in which he appeared.
Coach Steve Alford said Wednesday that Hands will be a vital part of the Bruins’ backcourt and he has room to grow and improve.
Hands said the pre-draft evaluations were helpful to him and he’s focused on improving his game.
The Bruins have 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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