Pac-12 Basketball: Underappreciated player from each team for 2020-21

OMAHA, NE - DECEMBER 04: Head Dana Altman talks to Eugene Omoruyi #2, Chris Duarte #5, and LJ Figueroa #30 during a college basketball game against the Seton Hall Pirates on December 4, 2020 at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

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Pac-12 Basketball Jaime Jaquez Jr. UCLA Bruins (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) /

UCLA Bruins – Jaime Jaquez Jr.

The UCLA Bruins are the best team in the conference at 13-3 and 9-1 in the league. With Chris Smith out for the year, the Bruins have continued to play well. They have been led by a balanced scoring attack, with four players in double figures and another player with Jules Bernard with 9.3 points a game. The balance also with a top 15 Kenpom offense are the reason’s why UCLA has been the best team in the league.

A player that needs to be talked about more is Jaime Jaquez Jr, the 6’6 220 pound sophomore is currently averaging 12.6 points and 5.9 rebounds witch is higher than his 8.9 and 4.8 the year. He’s also much more efficient than last year his field goal percentage is up from 45.4 percent to 46.7 percent and he’s become a much better three-point shooter from 31.3 to 40.4 percent.

Jaquez is also a pretty solid defender, he leads the team in defensive win shares and is 3rd in defensive plus box minus. Being a two-way player helps UCLA and makes Jaquez more valuable.

His shot-making ability has been huge for UCLA this year and is a player that people need to talk about more moving forward.

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