Tag: Adem Bona

Sixers select UCLA big man Adem Bona with No. 41 pick of the draft

The Philadelphia 76ers will select UCLA big man Adem Bona with the No. 41 overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft.

The Philadelphia 76ers continued with their draft on Thursday in day 2 as they move forward with their important offseason. After selecting Jared McCain with the No. 16 pick in Round 1 on Wednesday, they were once again on the clock in Round 2 with the No. 41 pick.

With that selection, the Sixers will go big. They will take UCLA’s Adem Bona who was the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in the 2023-24 season. He averaged 12.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game as a sophomore. He is a very polished player for somebody so young and he could potentially be the long-term solution to the backup center problem behind Joel Embiid.

The Sixers will now move ahead with their offseason. Unless they make a trade, this will be their final selection. The focus for President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey and Co. now will be to prepare for free agency on Sunday. That is when Morey will be able to use the massive cap space he has created to help upgrade the roster.

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The Ringer pegs Adem Bona to Warriors

This would be interesting..

The 2024 NBA Draft is underway and all eyes are on UCLA big man Adem Bona. He did not go in the first round despite some mock drafts having him landing toward the end.

As we look back at some previous mock drafts, here’s an interesting landing spot: The Golden State Warriors. There are a number of landing spots for Bona, but this one doesn’t have him moving very far.

Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer compiled a new mock draft and has Adem Bona going to the Golden State Warriors at No. 52. Here’s what he wrote:

Bona, who’s similar to Kevon Looney, could provide some support behind him; he’s also, coincidentally, another UCLA player.

Bona moving up North would be an appealing landing spot, and it worked well for former UCLA star Kevon Looney. The second round of the NBA Draft is on Thursday.

College Sports Wire projects Adem Bona to Celtics at 30

Bona to Boston again.

Now that the NBA Finals is over and the Boston Celtics came away as NBA Champion, it’s time to heat up the 2024 NBA Draft discussions. College Sports Wire recently did a mock draft of all the players and all the picks in the draft, and former UCLA Bruins big man Adem Bona was listed in the first round.

Bona was projected to go 30th, the final pick in the first round of the draft to the Boston Celtics. Boston is a team that does not have many holes, and will be returning everyone from their title team. This is what the article had to say about Bona at 30:

UCLA was not good, at all, last season, but that’s hardly Bona’s fault. The lengthy big man was an elite rim protector and low-post scorer, and his performance at the combine showed his elite athleticism and the potential for him to develop into a jump shooter as well.

Boston could use more depth in the frontcourt, and Bona is able to help right away while developing into what could ultimately be a starting caliber center.

Bona is just 21 years old. From Nigeria, he was listed at 6’8, 245. Bona scored 12.4 points per game during the 2023-2024 season for the Bruins.

College Sports Wire highlights Adem Bona strengths

Adem Bona has a lot of strengths.

The UCLA Bruins will have one player likely selected during the 2024 NBA Draft: Adem Bona.

UCLA’s big man Adem Bona has a ranging profile, and here are some strengths, as detailed by Andy Patton of College Sports Wire.

Still, Bona’s energy, elite athleticism, and defensive versatility should find him a home on draft night, potentially in the first round…Bona not only showed well during the measurement and athletic testing portion of the combine, but he put that athleticism to work during the scrimmages – flying up and down the court, blocking shots, finishing around the rim, and showcasing why he has what it takes to be an impact player at the next level.

Adem Bona’s energy is a big positive and something that was contagious to the UCLA team during his time there. Now, he is preparing to have those strengths translate to the NBA level. Where will he end up?

Pacers hosted Adem Bona for workout on Thursday

Another workout for Bona.

UCLA Bruins big man Adem Bona is almost undoubtedly going to hear his name called during the 2024 NBA Draft next week. Right now, it is just a matter of which team will select him and with which pick.

Bona has already worked out for a number of NBA teams, including the Cleveland Cavaliers. On Thursday, the Indiana Pacers hosted Bona on a workout along with some others.

The others who joined Bona for the workout were Rayj Dennis, Ariel Hukporti, Daniss Jenkins, Keshad Johnson, and Bobacar Sane.

The name UCLA fans might recognize is Keshad Johnson, who played at San Diego State in their magnificent Final Four run and then transferred to Arizona.

Bona has been projected to the Pacers in some mock drafts. But, his regular landing spot is in the middle of the second round.

The NBA Draft is approaching quickly, so it will be worth monitoring to see where Adem Bona ends up going.

Cavs hosted UCLA star Adem Bona

The Cavs brought in Adem Bona for a workout.

UCLA Bruins big man Adem Bona is garnering a lot of eyeballs ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft. After an impressive season at UCLA and a stand-out performance at the NBA Combine, he has been flying up draft boards.

Recently, the Cleveland Cavaliers hosted a number of players for pre-draft workouts, including Adem Bona, per Adam Zagoria.

The Cavs have a lot of young talent and are a team that should contend in the Eastern Conference for years to come, no matter what happens with Donovan Mitchell this summer.

The Cavs have Evan Mobley and Isaiah Mobley, both of whom played for the USC Trojans, and now they brought in Bona as well as some others for pre-draft workouts.

Bona should have plenty of other workouts leading up to the 2024 NBA Draft at the end of June, and he should have no problem hearing his name called on draft night.

Report: Bulls host predraft workout featuring All-American Terrence Shannon Jr.

Former Illinois guard Terrence Shannon Jr. was reportedly among the draft prospects who worked out with the Bulls on Monday.

Former Illinois guard Terrence Shannon Jr. was reportedly among the draft prospects who worked out with the Chicago Bulls on Monday, according to Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic.

Shannon was voted a third-team All-American by the Associated Press after averaging 23 points, four rebounds, 2.3 assists and one steal in 32 games this past season as a fifth-year senior. He finished third in the country in scoring and sixth in free throws (221).

Joining Shannon in the workout on Monday were UCLA forward Adem Bona, Virginia guard Ryan Dunn, Duke forward Kyle Filipowski, G League Ignite forward Ron Holland and Villanova guard Justin Moore.

Shannon on Thursday was found not guilty of two felony charges of rape and sexual aggravated battery by a jury in a Kansas courtroom. He was suspended indefinitely by the university and ultimately only missed six games after a judge issued a temporary restraining order.

The 23-year-old finished the season, leading the Fighting Illini to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2005. He was projected to be a first-round pick prior to his arrest, with his athleticism and ability to score efficiently at a high level.

His visit with the Bulls is his first known workout of the predraft process. He is expected to meet with other teams ahead of the draft on June 26-27 for workouts and interviews.

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Adem Bona to Heat in Yahoo mock draft

Bona to Miami.

The UCLA Bruins men’s basketball team has one player to keep an eye on entering the 2024 NBA Draft. That player is Adem Bona, who left Westwood and garnered plenty of attention during the NBA Combine.

Mock drafts have Bona going from the end of the first round to the middle of the second round, so his landing spot is certainly going to change a lot.

Krysten Peek of Yahoo Sports compiled a mock draft and had Adem Bona going No. 43 overall to the Miami Heat.

The Heat would be an excellent landing spot for Bona, and he would get to learn from the likes of Bam Adebayo if he ends up landing a spot on the NBA roster.

Bona had an excellent season for a disappointing UCLA basketball team, and at this rate, it would be a big surprise if he goes undrafted, although the second round seems a more likely option for him.

Adem Bona lands eith Grizzlies in ClutchPoints mock draft

Bona to Memphis again.

Where will UCLA Bruins star Adem Bona land in the 2024 NBA mock draft? There has been a variety of landing spots for Bona, with some even having him go in the first round.

Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints had his mock draft 3.0 and had Bona at the start of the second round going to the Memphis Grizzlies at 39th overall.

39. Memphis Grizzlies – C Adem Bona – UCLA

The Grizzlies need a big man. If they are unable to trade up for Donovan Clingan, Adem Bona in the second round is not a bad option, seeing as he is comparable to Xavier Tillman Sr., who found success in Memphis before being traded to the Celtics. Bona is a strong big man who tends to play well in pick-and-roll sets, as well as in the paint as a rebounder on both sides of the court.

Siegel also had Bona going to the Grizzlies in a previous mock draft, so this could be an ideal landing spot for both sides.

Adem Bona to Grizzlies in ClutchPoints 2.0 mock draft

Bona to Memphis again.

Where will UCLA Bruins big man Adem Bona land in the 2024 NBA Draft? The second round has been the most common projection for Bona after the NBA Combine concluded.

It has been a flurry of different teams, ranging from the Indiana Pacers to the Los Angeles Clippers and even the Boston Celtics in the first round of one mock.

Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints had Bona going to the Clippers in his first mock draft, but now he has Bona going at No. 39 to the Grizzlies in his latest mock:

At some point, the Grizzlies will grab a big man either in free agency or during the NBA Draft. Assuming they don’t end up with Clingan, Adem Bona could be a solid fit in Memphis, given the aggressiveness and strength he plays with. Honestly, there are some similarities that can be drawn to Xavier Tillman here. Bona is a strong big man who tends to play well in pick-and-roll sets as well as in the paint as a rebounder on both sides of the court. There isn’t much reason to believe that Bona can’t make a difference defensively early on in his career.

Bona impressed a lot of scouts at the NBA Combine, and landing in Memphis is an ideal spot for him.