UCLA Basketball: Adem Bona Lands with Terrible Rebuilding Squad in New Mock Draft

The Bruins' former best player is entering the 2024 NBA Draft after two seasons.

Mar 13, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Adem Bona (3) catches the ball against Oregon / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Since declaring for the 2024 NBA Draft, many have wondered just how high former sophomore UCLA Bruins power forward/center Adem Bona might climb.

A fresh mock draft from Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projects that the 6-foot-10 big man, 21, will be selected later in the second round, with the No. 40 pick by the Portland Trail Blazers (by way of the Atlanta Hawks).

Wasserman sees a lot of springy Kentucky Wildcats-turned-Indiana Pacers power forward Isaiah Jackson in Bona's game.

"NBA teams should know what they're getting and what they're not with Adem Bona," Wasserman writes. "He can bring instant defensive activity/switchability and athletic finishing. And he'll remain a threat in the post with his drop steps into hooks."

"Being foul- and turnover-prone will just mean a reduced role, likely one off the bench for the foreseeable future," Wasserman projects.

Bona was honored as a two-time Pac-12 All-Defensive Teamer and an All-Pac-12 First-Teamer. A consensus five-star recruit from Prolific Prep in Napa, California, Bona served as the lone freshman starter on UCLA's Sweet Sixteen-bound squad in 2022-23.

Last year, for the underwhelming 16-17 Bruins, Bona averaged 12.4 points on 58.8 percent shooting from the floor and 69.6 percent shooting from the charity stripe, 5.9 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, 1.2 assists, and 1.1 steals per contest.

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