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WATCH: Jaime Jaquez makes decision on NBA future

IMG_0985by:Griffin McVeigh•04/18/22•

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LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 05: Jaime Jaquez Jr. #24 of the UCLA Bruins is defended by Drew Peterson #13 of the USC Trojans as he takes a shot in the first half at UCLA Pauley Pavilion on March 5, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.
Jaime Jaquez (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

UCLA Bruins forward Jaime Jaquez will be returning for the 2022-2023 year he announced on Monday, wanting to play for head coach Mick Cronin for one more season. The two-time All-Pac-12 player will instantly become one of the best players in the country, let alone the conference.

Jaquez released a video on Twitter explaining his decision to put on the UCLA jersey for another season. He said after battling through tough times over the past two years, he wants to bring the program another national championship, adding to their long history. Legendary head coach John Wooden was cited as well, hoping to represent the former players.

“Basketball has always been a big part of my life,” Jaquez said. “It has taught me so much. My time at UCLA — I mean, where do I start? Two years ago, we felt like we were on top of the world, right? Less than two weeks later, everything kind of just stopped. It’s been a learning experience, no question. We battled injuries last season, that’s part of the game. For me, I kept rolling my ankles, it was frustrating but I am proud of how my brothers stuck together. We powered through. We didn’t reach our ultimate goal, but we gave it our all. We left everything on the court. UCLA has been a part of who I am for as long as I can remember. Growing up, my family taught me about the legacy of John Wooden and of UCLA’s dominant teams in the 60s and 70s. Those stories have always stuck with me. Wearing that UCLA jersey is about representing all the players that came before us.

“It’s very special to me to put on that jersey with my family’s name on the back but to represent those four letters on the front has been a dream come true,” Jaquez continued. “When I committed here, we wanted to get this program back on the national stage. Back where it belongs — among the nation’s elite. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished over the past three years but there’s some unfinished business. I came to UCLA to win a national championship. Shouldn’t that be the goal? I want to hang banner No. 12 in Pauley Pavilion. My commitment to my teammates and coaches, to my classmates, to the Den, to the UCLA community — it couldn’t be stronger. I’m coming back.

You can watch the full video here.

Jaquez played in 34 games last season, averaging 13.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. He dealt with an ankle injury during the 2022 NCAA Tournament but played through it as the Bruins reached the Sweet 16. After making the Final Four during the previous year’s edition of March Madness, Jaquez will want to go two steps further and lift the national championship trophy.

In the latest CBS Sports Top 25 and 1, UCLA was named the No. 1 overall team. With Jaquez officially coming back for another year, the Bruins will be atop preseason leaderboards all offseason.