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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