Jalen Hill returning to UCLA for 2020-21

Daishen Nix may not be coming to UCLA this fall but Jalen Hill certainly will be.

Hill removed his name from draft consideration, and instead will return to UCLA for his redshirt junior season.

The withdrawal of his name comes just days after highly-regarded recruit Nix decommitted from UCLA and instead chose to sign with the G League with hopes of beginning a professional career next season.

Hill averaged 9.0 points and led the team with 6.9 rebounds per game last year, routinely crashing the boards for a much-needed extra scoring ability. The 6’10, 245-pounder submitted his name earlier this year and had until June 2 to withdraw his name, instead choosing May 2 for his announcement.

It seems the magic that was the end of the Bruins season is palpable as he’ll return to a UCLA Bruins team that finished tied for the Pac-12 regular-season title. And to a team that no one wanted to play in March (April).

The NBA draft was supposed to happen on June 25 but amid the coronavirus pandemic, there is rumor that that will be changing. In-person workouts are already suspended until further notice, not giving those athletes not seen as lottery picks the chance to impress upon scouts or coaching staffs at the next level.

Hill is absolutely an integral part to the Bruins efforts under Mick Cronin and now Chris Smith represents the lone underclassman to scheduled to leave the program.

With his return, and with how impressive this team was down the stretch of this past shortened season, you can bet no one is going to want to play them in December, let alone next spring.

Watch out, Pac-12.