Adem Bona, a five-star center, has made a commitment to UCLA and chose the Bruins over Kentucky.
Bona was involved in a highly contested recruitment process over the last few months. He visited several schools but eventually settled on UCLA and Kentucky. The Wildcats were perceived as the leader of the summer but they chose Dereck Lively to be their first choice. He ultimately signed with Duke. John Calipari turned his attention to Bona but UCLA had already gained a lot of ground. Calipari's late visit last week was not enough to stop the momentum of the Bruins and secure Bona’s commitment.
Bona, a 6-foot-9 center who was born in Nigeria and plays for Prolific Prep (California), is ranked No. 17. In the ESPN 100 for 2022 class. He is the No. He's the No. 4 center in the country.
Bona was a part of Team WhyNot's five-game tour on the Nike EYBL circuit. He averaged 11.4 points, 11.2 rebound and 3.4 blocks. In the last few years, Bona has represented Turkey internationally, including at the FIBA U19 World Championships where he averaged 8.4 point, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in just under 17 minutes.
ESPN's recruiting analyst Adam Finkelstein stated that Bona was "probably the most physically gifted big men in high school basketball." He is a great player with exceptional length, speed and mobility. He can also be quick around the rim. Although his offense is still in its infancy, he's already an elite defensive player. He's a great rim protector and can move his feet away to the basket while picking-and-roll.
Bona joins Amari Bailey (No. 4) and ESPN 100 point guard Dylan Andrews, (No. 51) are the Bruins' most notable hauls so far.
