Bernard played basketball for Windward School in Los Angeles.[2] As a junior, he averaged 25.3 points and 13.7 rebounds per game. In his senior season, Bernard averaged 26.4 points and 14.2 rebounds per game.[3] He competed for the Compton Magic on the Amateur Athletic Union circuit.[4] A consensus four-star recruit, he committed to playing college basketball for UCLA in October 2017 over offers from Kansas, USC, Oregon and Miami (Florida).[5] He was attracted to the Bruins by their program's history and head coach Steve Alford being open to playing skilled freshmen.[6]
College career
As a freshman at UCLA, Bernard averaged 7.6 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.[7] In his sophomore season, he averaged 5.5 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.[8] On March 3, 2021, he scored a career-high 23 points in an 82–72 loss to Oregon.[9] As a junior, Bernard averaged 10.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.[10]
In his senior year in 2021–22, he continued to decrease his turnovers after nearly committing twice as many turnovers as assists in his first two seasons.[1] He had a season-high 22 points in each of the Bruins' two games against Long Beach State.[11][12] Bernard ended the season with nine consecutive games scoring in double figures, including a team-high 16 points in UCLA's season-ending loss to North Carolina in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2022 NCAA tournament.[13][14] As a senior, Bernard averaged 12.8 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.
After the season, he declared for the NBA draft, but did not hire an agent to maintain his college eligibility; the NCAA allowed an extra year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[15] He was invited to the NBA G League Elite Camp but did not receive an invitation to the NBA Draft Combine. He had a workout with the Los Angeles Lakers before deciding to remain in the draft, minutes before the deadline to return to school.[16][17]
Professional career
Motor City Cruise (2022)
After going undrafted in the 2022 NBA draft, Bernard played with the Detroit Pistons in the 2022 NBA Summer League.[18] He scored in double digits once in the first four games before scoring a team-high 22 points in the finale, including 14 points in the third quarter.[19] He was later added to the Pistons' training camp roster after signing an Exhibit 10 contract.[20] Bernard played in three of the team's four preseason games before being released.[21] He was later named to the training camp roster for the Motor City Cruise, the Pistons' G League affiliate.[22]
Capital City Go-Go (2022–2023)
On December 22, 2022, Bernard was traded from the Motor City to the Capital City Go-Go.[23]
On October 1, 2023, Bernard signed with the Washington Wizards,[24] but was waived on October 19.[25] On October 30, he returned to Capital City.[26]