What Brooklyn Nets Fans Should Know About Tyler Bilodeau

The NBA Draft is now complete, which means the Brooklyn Nets have their new additions to the young core. After bringing in a league-record five first-round picks last year, 2026 saw them acquire two first-rounders and, on Wednesday, one second-rounder.

Mikel Brown Jr. and Joshua Jefferson are the faces of Brooklyn's draft, but at pick No. 43, the organization took Tyler Bilodeau out of UCLA. The 22-year-old was a stud in the Big Ten, taking over for the Bruins in a season that saw them reach the Big Ten Tournament semifinal and the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Nets are getting someone who can immediately contribute to their system. Here is what fans should know about Bilodeau:

Floor-Spacing Forward

Bilodeau can score at all three levels, but the most exciting part of his game is his floor spacing. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 17.6 points per game on 52-46-87 shooting splits, averaging 4.5 three-point attempts per game (2.1 makes).

If Brooklyn needs Bilodeau to put the ball on the floor, he certainly can, but for the most part, he'll have to space out in catch-and-shoot situations.

Defensive Weaknesses

At 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan, Bilodeau's defense has potential, but he showed some lapses this past season. Opponents were able to take advantage of mismatches by forcing switches onto smaller, quicker guards, which didn't bode well for him.

Bilodeau's defense can develop under Jordi Fernandez, but his athleticism (particularly quickness) is somewhat of an issue. As one of UCLA's bigs, he also didn't have much of a presence in the paint, averaging just 5.6 rebounds per game.

That's not nothing, but the Bruins gave up 9.5 offensive rebounds per game (265th). Bilodeau was a big part of that. If he wants to make an impact with forwards like Jefferson, Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr. ahead of him, he'll have to find ways to win possessions outside of scoring.

Bilodeau's Two-Way Contract

At the end of the day, Bilodeau's contributions in Brooklyn will be limited this upcoming season. The four-year college player agreed to sign a two-way contract, so he'll be bouncing between the Nets and their G League affiliate in Long Island.

The expectations aren't high for Bilodeau, especially considering he's a second-round pick. There's potential given his vast collegiate experience, and now we're starting to see those former college stars make an impact in the NBA.