Tag: Adem Bona

Adem Bona lands at No. 40 in Bleacher Report mock draft

Adem Bona is a second-round pick in recent BR mock draft.

The UCLA Bruins men’s basketball team always finds a way to have players selected in the NBA Draft. Last year, it was Jaime Jaquez Jr., and he has been a sensation in his rookie year with the Miami Heat.

This time around it looks to be Adem Bona, who has become a huge part of the UCLA rotation and a double-double threat.

In a recent mock draft by Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, Bona landed at No. 40 to the Portland Trail Blazers:

While the excitement over Adem Bona has died down, mostly due to a replicable archetype and no signs of exciting improvement, there should clearly be an NBA role for an athletic, high-motor 6’10” big who can finish, block shots and move defensively like he can.

He has been more productive scoring in the post, but the 3.6 fouls and 2.5 turnovers (in just 26.6 minutes) highlight the big questions about his feel.

The talent and potential are definitely there for Bona, and he has made a lot of noise during his time at UCLA.

UCLA’s Adem Bona sixth all-time in career blocks

Adem Bona is moving up the UCLA blocks list.

The Bruins are firing on all cylinders as of late.

Winners of five-straight games, UCLA is starting to play their best basketball at the best possible time in Westwood. And in that time, one Bruin climbed the all-time leaderboard at UCLA.

Adem Bona, UCLA’s sophomore forward, just recorded his 103rd block in a Bruins uniform. Averaging 12.2 points, six rebounds, and an assist, Bona has been one of the top performers for the Bruins on offense as of late. But where Bona has made his mark has been on defense.

Recording nine blocks in his last five games, Bona moved to sixth all-time in blocks in UCLA history.

Only 14 blocks shy of Lorenzo Mata’s fifth-place record of 117, at the pace Bona is rejecting shots, he could pass Mata before the end of the Bruins’ season.

 

The all-time blocks leader for the Bruins currently is NBA champion and former UCLA second-round pick Jelani McCoy with 188. With Bona trailing his record by 85 blocks, depending on how long Bona stays in Westwood, he could be chasing the school record by his senior season.

MBB Recap: Oregon upends UCLA thanks to Shelstad’s big second half

Jackson Shelstad’s big second half propelled the Ducks past UCLA 64-59.

The pace was exactly what UCLA wanted.

Oregon was in foul trouble for most of the game.

UCLA held Oregon scoreless for nearly four minutes toward the end of the game.

The Ducks won anyway.

Oregon improved to 10-3 overall and 2-0 in Pac-12 play as it defeated the Bruins 64-59 in front of a raucous crowd inside Matthew Knight Arena.

Point guard Jackson Shelstad scored 16 of his 20 points in the second half, including two free throws with 7.8 seconds that put the game away for the Ducks. He also hit a pair of threes that turned a five-point deficit into a one-point lead with about 10 minutes to go.

It was a battle of UCLA’s inside game against the Ducks’ outside shooting and fortunately for Oregon, it was 10-of-25 from three-point land and it was just enough to hold off the Bruins.

UCLA basketball returns one key player for next season, but not two

Adem Bona is staying. Jaylen Clark is not. #UCLA’s roster gets a boost but not a best-case scenario.

The UCLA Bruins received mixed news on Wednesday, the final day for NBA draft prospects to either stay in the draft or choose to return to school (and/or the transfer portal).

Big man Adem Bona will come back to UCLA for next season, giving the Bruins an active, smart, hungry rim protector and defensive force. Jaylen Clark, who could defend multiple positions on the floor and helped Bona make UCLA a very strong defensive team, is staying in the NBA draft. The Bruins got some of what they wanted, but not all.

It’s not great news for USC — Bona will be a beast for Vince Iwuchukwu and Joshua Morgan to deal with — but it’s not terrible news with Clark departing. If it’s not a best-case situation for UCLA, it’s not a worst-case situation for USC.

UCLA not getting both Clark and Bona to return probably keeps the Bruins third in the Pac-12 behind USC and Arizona.

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Adem Bona to withdraw from draft, return to UCLA for sophomore year

The Pac-12 Freshman of the Year was considered a potential second-round pick in the draft.

UCLA forward Adem Bona on Wednesday told Jonathan Givony of ESPN that he will withdraw from the 2023 NBA draft and return to school for his sophomore year.

Bona, who was born in Nigeria, was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year after averaging 7.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks on 67.5% shooting from the field. He ranked second in the conference in field-goal percentage and fourth in blocks.

The 6-foot-10 Bona was among the players invited to the draft combine in May in Chicago, Illinois. He did not participate in on-court testing after undergoing shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum suffered in the conference tournament.

He is expected to make a full recovery by October.

Bona opted to return, in part, because of his injury. He was viewed as a potential second-round pick this year but didn’t have the opportunity to improve his stock in team workouts or at the combine. He will spend next season working on his game with the goal of becoming a first-round pick.

He had until 11:59 p.m. EDT on Wednesday to withdraw from the draft.

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Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Adem Bona to test pre-draft process

Bona was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year after averaging 7.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks.

UCLA freshman Adem Bona on Wednesday told Jonathan Givony of ESPN that will he declare for the 2023 NBA draft while retaining the right to return to school next season.

Bona, who was born in Nigeria, was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year after averaging 7.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks on 67.5% shooting from the field. He ranked second in the conference in field-goal percentage and fourth in blocks.

He was also recognized on the Pac-12 All-Freshman team.

The 6-foot-10 forward emerged as a tremendous defensive prospect with the Bruins. He was 14th in the country in defensive box plus-minus (plus-5.0) and also earned a place on the Pac-12 All-Defensive team. He played with great energy on both ends of the court.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CrOQBFHLvFN/

Bona is considered a potential second-round pick this year.

However, he will not be able to participate in pre-draft workouts and other related activities after undergoing shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum suffered in the conference tournament. He is expected to make a full recovery by October.

Bona will still have the opportunity to interview with teams and gain feedback on his potential draft stock. It is possible Bona will return to school to get fully healthy and improve his overall skills next season with the Bruins.

He will have until May 31 to withdraw from the draft and return to school.

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