UCLA Basketball: Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Adem Bona Reunite At Campus

Sam Garcia | Aug 6, 2024

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Nostalgia struck the Kevin Love Athletic Performance Center on Monday. The UCLA men's basketball X account shared that former Bruin basketball players Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Adem Bona came back to Westwood to visit their alma mater. 

A couple of very familiar faces, 𝐀𝐝𝐞𝐦 𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐚 and 𝐉𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐉𝐚𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐳 𝐉𝐫., back on campus. #NBABruins 🏀 pic.twitter.com/ioKgN2xRjB

— UCLA Men’s Basketball (@UCLAMBB) August 5, 2024

With the current team in the midst of the offseason, Jaquez Jr. and Bona were able to revisit their old training grounds and reunite with members of the UCLA men’s basketball program. Their return to UCLA’s campus came just three days after the Bruins’ first official day in the Big Ten conference. 

The duo has transitioned from a decorated collegiate basketball to a brand new NBA career. Jaquez Jr., a guard for the Miami Heat, was the 18th overall pick in the first round of the 2023 NBA draft. Bona is a center for the Philadelphia 76ers, and he was drafted as the 41st pick in the second round of the 2024 NBA draft.

In his first professional season, Jaquez Jr. averaged 11.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. He appeared in 75 games and averaged 28.2 minutes per game. Jacquez Jr. accrued a 48.9 percent field goal percentage and 32.2 percent 3-point percentage.

His performance on the court earned him two back-to-back Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month recognitions in December and November/October. The former Bruin was also named to the NBA All-Rookie team.  

Bona, who is entering his first professional season with the 76ers, averaged 5.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game across eight starts in the NBA and Salt Lake summer league. You can read more about Bona’s performance in his first set of games with the 76ers here.

During their collegiate careers at UCLA, Jaquez Jr. and Bona were regular starters for the Bruins. 

Jaquez Jr. started in all 37 games of his senior season and led the team in both points (17.8) and rebounds (8.2) per game. He was named the Lute Olson National Player of the Year and a second-team All-America selection. Jaquez Jr. became the first Bruin to be named the 2023 Pac-12 Player of the Year since Kevin Love in 2008. 

Bona was only of the Bruins for two seasons but he was a key piece to UCLA’s defense. He became the first Bruin to accumulate 50 blocks in two consecutive seasons since 1999-2001. Bona was also selected for the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team in both seasons.

In addition to the future accolades the pair will earn in the NBA, Jaquez Jr. and Bona will likely be inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame in the future.