UCLA Basketball: Adem Bona Lands With East Powerhouse in New Mock Draft

The UCLA Bruins basketball program has been one of the best over the course of history, having sent a ton of players to the NBA. This season, the Bruins will be sending center Adem Bona to the league and he has been making some noise for potential teams. 

Bona took on more of a leadership role with the Bruins this season, even if the team wasn’t very good. He brings high energy to the table and can provide a team with a solid backup big down the line.

Bona’s draft range has gone from the end of the first round to the backend of the second. In a new mock draft done by Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, Bona was selected No. 38 overall in the second round by the New York Knicks.

“Adem Bona measured a 7’4″ wingspan, tied for the highest standing vertical, and then showcased that length and athleticism on big finishes and blocks during scrimmages. The extra scoring this year at UCLA won’t do much for his stock. But he still has the tools, motor, feet and leaping ability to continue making plays around the rim at both ends.”

Bona heading to the Knicks would be a win-win for both sides. He would get to play on a team that has a chance to contend for a title while the Knicks would get a prototypical big man for their system.

The energy that he brings would fit in well with how New York plays and he could serve as a potential replacement for Isaiah Hartenstein if he departs in free agency. This could be a good landing spot for Bona, setting him up nicely in the NBA.

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