UCLA Basketball: Adem Bona Recalls Decision to Join Bruins for College

Why Bona chose UCLA.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Why not UCLA?

That's how Adem Bona looks at his decision to play college basketball with the Bruins. Now a Philadelphia 76ers after the Sixers took him in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft, Bona revealed that both UCLA's basketball and academic reputation made the decision to go to UCLA a 'no-brainer.'

“I say, the question should be, ‘Why not UCLA?’ Because who is going to turn down UCLA? Most importantly, I felt like UCLA was the perfect fit for me," Bona said, via the Philadelphia 76ers on Youtube. "Going there, and being a star as a freshman, that was a really big step for me. Obviously I have an African mom and she is big on education. She wanted me to go to a really educational school, and UCLA was one of the best in the country, so it was a no-brainer for my mom. But for me, basketball-wise, I think it was an amazing feat. They have an amazing culture, eleven championships, and they have a bunch of legends."

“𝐈 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐬’ 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞. I walked on the court and we were chanting the 8-clap.”

Adem Bona, with the Philadelphia 76ers, and reconnecting with Bruins’ alum Rico Hines (@sixers).

🎥: https://t.co/xP3Brysh9i pic.twitter.com/9DqTbj2vCl

— UCLA Men’s Basketball (@UCLAMBB) July 4, 2024

The Bruins of course have one of the most historic programs in NCAA basketball history, having won 11 NCAA championships and seven straight titles. Along with this, UCLA also holds tremendous academic prestige, ranking top-20 in the country. Few top basketball programs in the nation can come near either of these marks.

Bona spent two years with the Bruins, where he was the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, and a two-time member of the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team. The five-star recruit, who previously played professional basketball in Turkey, committed to the Bruins over Kentucky during the recruiting process.

In his final year at UCLA, Bona averaged 12.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. He is known for his defensive ability and stature at 6-foot-8. Bona is expected to make his NBA debut on Monday, during the 76ers' Summer League game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

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