By: Yvonne Liu

Jaime Jaquez Jr. is back at the bottom. Back to proving himself.

He is one of the most beloved players in UCLA basketball history and doesn’t shed a shred of anxiety about entering the NBA.

Nine teams have already brought him in for workouts. All teams have witnessed his grit and expanding skills that would make him a good pick in the June 22 draft. His footwork is good and can create his own shot. While Jaquez is a crafty finisher, he has also shown ability in stepping outside for jumpshots. Bonus that Jaquez is a smart defender who is adept at reading passing lanes.

“The feedback has been very positive,” Jaquez told The Times this week by phone. “I think I’ve gone through this process and shown a lot of teams what I can do and I think they’ve all been very impressed. I think I’ve definitely improved my stock — at least that’s the way I feel. I mean, you never know — it’s not how I feel, it’s about how these GMs feel. I think I did, so I guess I’ll leave it at that.”

If you are detecting supreme confidence in someone known for his humbleness, you are not imagining things.

Jaquez finished his UCLA basketball career with a total of 1,802 points, good enough for eighth place on the schools all time scoring list.

“I feel really ready,” Jaquez said of moving on to the NBA. “I feel more prepared than ever, and I’m really looking at the four years and realize how much that’s prepared me for going into these workouts and really making an impact and talking to these GMs. I’m really seeing the payoff of my time at UCLA.”

Jaquez has also stated that he is learning to be more vocal on defense and making his presence known throughout the game.

“He played really hard, he competed his ass off, he made smart decisions with the ball,” said the executive, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to publicly discuss NBA prospects. “The shooting looked improved. He’s going to maximize his abilities because of all the intangible qualities that he has. As you kind of expect from him, he won almost all of the drills during the workout.”

Jaquez spent most of last month traveling the nation in hopes of becoming UCLA’s highest pick since Lonzo Ball was No.2 and TJ Lead was No.18.

Wherever he lands in the NBA, introductions will be in order before Jaquez can endear himself with another fan base.

“I’m going to be back at the bottom,” Jaquez said. “I’m a rookie now.”