UCLA basketball: 5 questions the UCLA Bruins must answer in 2020
No. 2 Who will be an X-factor for the Bruins?
Every team needs an X-factor player on the court who can get the job done when it matters and perform at a high level. It’s much better when the team has multiple guys who can play that role. UCLA basketball has the latter advantage. Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Jake Kyman are guys I believe could be X-factor players for the Bruins in 2020.
Jaquez Jr. finished his freshman year averaging nine points, five rebounds, one assist, and steal per game. He led the Bruins in steals with 43 and earned All-Pac-12 Freshman Team honorable mention and Pac-12 Player of the Week honors. The former Camarillo High School standout was the 20th best small forward and eighth-best player in California in the 2018 class. He finished his senior season averaging 32 points, 14 rebounds, and two steals per game.
He is a threat when shooting on the perimeter but he’s even more dangerous when he gets into the paint. He can score by himself or spot a big man down low for two points. He scored in double-figures 14 times with two double-doubles and was very productive on the boards as he recorded six or more rebounds 12 times during the season. Looking ahead to 2020, expect his numbers to increase and his sophomore campaign to be a really good one.
Kyman is a pure shooter. The former two-time All-CIF Southern Section First Team selection and Orange County Player of the Year for Santa Margarita Catholic High School continued his hot shooting for the Bruins. He was a 45 percent shooter from the field and 40 percent shooter from the three-point line. He ranked sixth among all Pac-12 players in three-point percentage and fifth among all UCLA freshmen.
He didn’t have a lot of high scoring games during the year outside of the 20 point games against Cal State Fullerton, Washington, and Arizona State. He can still contribute to the success of this team as an X-factor. After averaging 12 minutes per game, My guess is that’s going to increase to around 18-22 minutes in 2020. UCLA basketball fans should be excited for these two to shine as sophomores.