Jalen Hill withdraws from NBA draft and will return to UCLA - Los Angeles Times
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Jalen Hill withdraws from NBA draft consideration and decides to return to UCLA

Jalen Hill is no longer planning to make himself eligible for the NBA draft next month.
(David Zalubowski / Associated Press)
Los Angeles Times staff writer Ben Bolch
By Ben Bolch
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UCLA redshirt sophomore forward Jalen Hill has withdrawn his name from NBA draft consideration and plans to remain a Bruin next season, significantly enhancing his team’s frontcourt depth.

The 6-foot-10 Hill established himself as the Bruins’ best post player last season, averaging nine points and a team-leading 6.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks. His rim-protecting abilities earned him honorable mention Pac-12 all-defensive team honors.

Hill’s return alleviates worries about post depth. In addition to Hill, the Bruins will have forwards Cody Riley and Kenneth Nwuba after Nwuba spent last season redshirting to work on his skill development.

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The Bruins are still waiting to learn whether junior guard Chris Smith will return to the team or keep his name in the draft.

The Bruins will start the 2015 season at home against Virginia on Sept. 5 at 12:30 p.m.

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Ben Bolch

Ben Bolch has been a Los Angeles Times staff writer since 1999. He is serving his second stint as the UCLA beat writer, which seems fitting since he has covered almost every sports beat except hockey and horse racing. Bolch is also the author of the recently released book “100 Things UCLA Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die.” He previously covered UCLA basketball from 2010-11 before going on to cover the NBA and the Clippers for five years. He happily traded in gobs of hotel points and airline miles to return to cover UCLA basketball and football in the summer of 2016. Bolch was once selected by NBA TV’s “The Starters” as the “Worst of the Week” after questioning their celebrity journalism-style questions at an NBA All-Star game and considers it one of his finer moments.

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