Report: UCLA's Clark out for rest of season with Achilles injury
UCLA junior guard Jaylen Clark will miss the rest of the season, including the NCAA Tournament, after suffering an Achilles injury, sources told Stadium's Jeff Goodman.
Clark, the Pac-12's Defensive Player of the Year, appeared to sustain the injury early in the second half of Saturday's 83-72 win over Arizona. After a quick steal in the Wildcats' half and a subsequent layup, Clark suddenly pulled up limping and needed help to the locker room. He eventually returned to the Bruins' bench with crutches and a walking boot on his right foot.
UPDATE: Jaylen Clark returns to the floor, but with crutches and a boot on his right foot. pic.twitter.com/SS2zuAG4QD
— Tarek Fattal (@Tarek_Fattal) March 5, 2023
Clark has been stellar defensively all season for UCLA, which is currently ranked second in the AP Poll and will open its Pac-12 Tournament on Thursday as the conference's No. 1 seed. The third-year guard's 2.6 steals per game are tied for the sixth-best mark in the country, while he ranks second on the Bruins in scoring with 13 points per game.
UCLA is widely considered a lock to make the NCAA Tournament for a third straight season under Mick Cronin. The team topped the Pac-12 with an 18-2 conference mark amid an overall 27-4 record in 2022-23.