Minneapolis/St. Paul – The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has selected guard Jaylen Clark with the 53rd overall pick in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft presented by State Farm.
Clark, 6-5, was named the 2022-23 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, 2022-23 NABC Defensive Player of the Year and 2022-23 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, UCLA’s first defensive player of the year winner since Russell Westbrook in 2007-08. He averaged 13.0 points, 1.9 assists and a Pac-12 leading 2.6 steals per game (tied for fourth-best in the nation).
Additionally, Clark was named to the 2022-23 All-Pac-12 Second Team and was a two-time Pac 12 All-Defensive Team honoree (2021-22 and 2022-23).
The Riverside, Calif., native played on an AAU team with current NBA players Evan and Isaiah Mobley and Onyeka Okongwu. Clark attended the same high school (Etwanda High School) as current Timberwolves guard Jordan McLaughlin.