UCLA forward Tyler Bilodeau is officially on the radar of NBA teams. The 6-foot-9 standout has earned an invitation to the 2026 NBA Draft Combine, set to take place May 10-17 at Wintrust Arena and the Marriott Marquis in Chicago. He’s one of 73 players selected for the event, as announced by the NBA on Friday.

This invite is a strong signal that multiple NBA franchises want a closer look at Bilodeau before the draft begins on June 23. For a player who transferred from Oregon State to UCLA ahead of the 2024-25 season, it’s a major step toward realizing his professional dreams.

Bilodeau is the only player from a Southern California school to receive a combine invitation this year—no USC players made the cut. The only other California representatives are Santa Clara forward Allen Graves and Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie, both from Northern California programs.

But the combine roster isn’t set in stone just yet. A select number of standouts from the AWS NBA G League Draft Combine, which starts two days earlier on May 8, will also earn their way into the main event. Among the 44 players invited to the G League Combine are USC guard Alijah Arenas and forward Jacob Cofie. However, Arenas has reportedly withdrawn from the draft and will return to USC next season, while Cofie has until May 27 to make his decision.

Bilodeau’s journey to this point has been impressive. After two seasons at Oregon State, he transferred to UCLA and made an immediate impact, starting 63 of 64 career games for the Bruins across two seasons. Last year, he was a two-time All-Big Ten Third Team selection, averaging 17.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game. He shot a blistering 51.8% from the field and a career-high 46.4% from three-point range in 31 games—numbers that scream versatility and efficiency.

Now, all eyes are on Chicago as Bilodeau begins the next chapter of his basketball journey. For UCLA fans and draft watchers alike, this is a name to remember.