Can UCLA Vault Donovan Dent to NBA Draft Conversation?

Donovan Dent isn’t a name you’ll see on a lot of draft boards.

While he’ll spend this upcoming season at UCLA, the way-too-early 2026 NBA mock drafts don’t seem to have him on the radar.

But maybe that’s what makes him so intriguing.

After transferring from New Mexico, Dent is positioning himself to become a premier guard in the country and to turn his game into something NBA scouts can’t ignore.

Dent is a crafty playmaker with electric speed, elite ball-handling, and the ability to slip through tight spaces to finish at the hoop. He plays with a slickness and confidence that makes him a nightmare in isolation.

Fifty-nine percent of his total field goal attempts came at the rim, and he converted them at a high clip. He also has a unique ability to pull up from midrange, similar to how Chris Paul operates, stopping on a dime and elevating at the elbow for soft floaters or clean jumpers.

One reason he may not be gaining traction with scouts is his hesitation to shoot from deep. He only attempted 66 3-pointers last season, hitting 41% of them, despite a smooth stroke. For a guard with his ball skills, that volume needs to increase.

Still, Dent isn’t just a scorer. He dished out a career-high 6.4 assists last season and posted a 36% assist rate. He constantly keeps his head up, looking for cutters or kick-outs. His ability to drive forces defenses to collapse, opening clean looks for teammates.

It’s the exact kind of presence UCLA desperately needed last year.

So what else is holding him back? Turnovers. Dent can get tunnel vision when attacking downhill. He tends to dribble into traffic, which leads to forced shots or giveaways, similar to what limited Tyreke Evans. For context, he led the Mountain West in total turnovers. It’s a fixable trait, but one that could scare NBA teams away.

At New Mexico, Dent got the opportunity to stretch his legs and develop. At UCLA, he gets the platform. He’ll play in a major media market, on a top-10 team, and against top-tier competition. If he delivers, his name won’t be obscure for long.

You scratch my back, I scratch yours. Dent and UCLA are a match made in heaven.

He may not be on the radar just yet, but Dent has first-round talent. Moving to Westwood gives him the visibility to prove it.