Jaylen Clark

Jaylen Clark's Biography

Jaylen Bryce Clark, born on October 13, 2001, is a professional basketball player in the United States who currently plays for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is also contracted to the Iowa Wolves of the NBA G League. Born in Riverside, California, Jaylen developed his basketball skills from a young age. His father, a former elite perimeter defender who had one season of basketball at Modesto Junior College, was a significant influence in Jaylen’s early basketball journey.

During his high school years, Clark attended Centennial High School in Corona for three years before transferring to Etiwanda High in Rancho Cucamonga for his senior year. Under the coaching of David Kleckner, a renowned defensive specialist, Clark honed his skills and became a well-rounded two-way player known for his unselfishness on the court. He impressively averaged 18.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game at Etiwanda. This outstanding performance led him to lead the Eagles to the CIF Southern Section Open Division regional finals.

In 2020, he signed a national letter of intent to play for the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), marking the start of his notable college basketball career. In his freshman year at UCLA (2020-2021), Clark played primarily as a reserve, averaging 2.5 points and 2.4 rebounds over nine minutes per game for the Bruins. His effort crowned with victory when he scored the game-winning free throw in an 80–79 win against Arizona State at the Pauley Pavilion. The young player showed promise when he played a crucial role in the team’s 14-point comeback victory over Michigan State in the First Four of the 2021 NCAA tournament.

In the 2021-22 season, as a sophomore, Clark suffered from multiple concussions, causing him to miss six games. Despite this setback, his outstanding performance earned him a place on the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team. He averaged 6.7 points and 3.8 rebounds in 18.1 minutes per game. According to UCLA’s Head Coach Mick Cronin, Clark’s consistency in his playing time would allow him to significantly contribute more offensively.

During the 2022-23 season, in his junior year, he became a full-time starter after the departure of Johnny Juzang and Jules Bernard. His defensive prowess improved, earning him national recognition which led to him being named the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year and the National Association of Basketball Coaches Defensive Player of the Year. He was also named the Pac-12 Defensive player of the year.

Unfortunately, during the regular-season finale against Arizona, he suffered a crippling right Achilles tendon rupture that prematurely ended his season. Despite this, he significantly improved his offense, becoming UCLA’s second-leading scorer, nearly doubling his scoring from the previous season. Following this season, he declared for the NBA draft, with his recovery time estimated to be between 8-10 months.

In the NBA draft of 2023, Clark was chosen by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round with the 53rd overall pick. On July 7, 2023, he signed a two-way contract with the Timberwolves, and in March 28, 2024, he was transferred to the Iowa Wolves of the G League for rehab. Fully dedicated to his recovery, Clark aimed to return to the game in the middle or late in the season. His first games post-recovery were played in the NBA Summer League in 2024, marking the successful comeback of this talented player.