UCLA Basketball: Fans Unpack Bruins' New Adem Bona Replacement Transfer

The Blue and Gold are making moves.

South Dakota State's forward William Kyle III (42) shoots the ball. / Samantha Laurey / Argus Leader / USA

The UCLA Bruins have added a potential Adem Bona replacement in now-ex-South Dakota State big man William Kyle III, whom Cronin is acquiring via the NCAA transfer portal.

Fans of the Blue and Gold have taken to the Social Media Platform Formerly Known As Twitter (a.k.a. X) to welcome the new addition.

Welcome to Westwood https://t.co/dwpQplHwcJ

— Those Four Letters (@krisjohnsonlive) April 24, 2024

The Los Angeles Times' Ben Bolch thinks that Kyle will be able to supplement the defensive absence of Bona, who was the fulcrum of UCLA's approach on that end of the hardwood:

UCLA has found its replacement for Adem Bona in South Dakota State’s William Kyle III, a defensive star with tremendous upside. https://t.co/D3L7QIFEOU

— Ben Bolch (@latbbolch) April 24, 2024

Another fan captured a pretty tantalizing slam. Note the hops:

WK3 taking flight in Bel Air! https://t.co/6J7Hxyt6HY pic.twitter.com/jUjIqZZ4bc

— Kienan Dixon (@KienanDixon16) April 24, 2024

Another Bruins fan suddenly sees championships in the club's future, thanks to the advent of Kyle (and also, presumably, Kobe Johnson, Skyy Clark, and Eric Dailey Jr.):

It’s going to be hard to stop UCLA from cutting down those nets 🙊 https://t.co/oj5F2Lw0jW

— Criz Garoppolo #🟦 (@crizteeneeta) April 24, 2024

Reporter Jonathan Fernandez of Argus Leader Media appears to be sad to see the 6'9" big man depart:

The former Jackrabbit is heading to Westwood. The Bruins got a good one https://t.co/GsKeXhuLDv

— Jonathan Fernandez (@JFERN31) April 24, 2024

An X user with a wide array of sports fandoms (including the Los Angeles Rams, Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Dodgers) appears amped about the move, too:

BOOM! Welcome to the Bruin Family, Kyle! 😁🙌👏 #UCLA #4sUP https://t.co/7maKtel5Ea

— EE (@EEstaris) April 24, 2024

A UCLA analysis account, UCLA Breakdown, weighed in on the addition, noting that he helps cement the best transfer group in the nation:

BOOOOOM!!!! UCLA picks up its 5th transfer to add on to its #1 transfer class in the nation with big man Williams Kyle III.

Williams is an absolute dunk phenom with his finishing ability in the paint, posing a 44 inch vertical and averaged 13.1 pts and 6.6 rebounds last year. https://t.co/oPrik5JBz1

— UCLA Breakdown (@uclabreakdown) April 24, 2024

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