Coach Mick Cronin’s tutelage produced back-to-back Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year winners – each of whom subsequently became NBA draftees.
Former guard Jaylen Clark joined the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2023 NBA Draft.
And after a year as a mainstay of Cronin’s 2023-2024 lineup, former UCLA men’s basketball forward/center Adem Bona was selected No. 41 overall by the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday afternoon. In the NBA’s inaugural two-night format, Bona heard his name announced early in the second round as the sole Bruin in this year’s draft.
Bona – who tied for the best standing vertical leap in the NBA Draft Combine – brought size, height and athleticism to a relatively inexperienced UCLA roster this past season. Providing defensive stability and offensive ignition, Bona’s two-way prowess translated to an average of 12.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game – slotting him at second in the Pac-12 – last season.
In his rookie season, Bona brought offensive fuel to a veteran-laden team, flanked by Clark, guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. and guards Tyger Campbell and David Singleton. Bona’s athleticism generated open looks off the rim run and helped the Bruins pull together a number of offensive rebounds.
But in the wake of key departures, Cronin’s offense this past year largely ran through Bona – who swiftly assumed the mantle.
Posting double-digit figures on 24 occasions last year, Bona showed versatility on the floor for the Bruins. Despite being relatively undersized for his role, Bona contested plays on the rim and imposed pressure on the basket during five-on-fives at the NBA Draft Combine – and employed his high motor to sprint the floor.
The Ebonyi, Nigeria, local will cross the country to assume a new home in Philadelphia. The 76ers clinched a playoff berth with a one-point play-in win over the Miami Heat but were unable to rout the New York Knicks in the first round of the playoffs.
Bona will be under elite leadership in center Joel Embiid – the reigning NBA MVP, a seven-time NBA All-Star and three-time member of the league’s All-Defensive Team.
Embiid’s mentorship could be the catalyst for Bona’s professional stardom.
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