Commitment breakdown: Four-star C Adem Bona picks UCLA
https://ucla.rivals.com/UCLA’s two-member recruiting class became three on Monday morning, when four-star big man Adem Bona announced his intentions to sign with the Bruins. Below, Rivals.com has a look at what head coach Mick Cronin is getting and what the massive recruiting win means for the future of the blue blood program.
WHAT UCLA IS GETTING
Players don’t come with more physical tools than Bona, who boasts a college-ready body and gets up and down the floor as well as anyone of his size. The 6-foot-10, 225-pound big man is comfortable in his body and rarely fumbles around with entry passes. His hands, strength and instinct make him a prolific rebounder as well. His motor, which he showcases on defense, is top notch and his athleticism gives him positional versatility on that end. Bona is still a bit raw on the offensive end, however, as his scoring touch around the rim can be a bit inconsistent in traffic. And while he’s not a poor mid-range shooter by any stretch, he’s working to increase his range. That said, Bona comes equipped with every attribute coaches can’t instill, so the sky's the limit for his potential. The Rivals150 prospect has the feel of a player that could refine his skill set and really hit his stride as a sophomore.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE BRUINS
The fact that UCLA held off hard-charging Kentucky shouldn’t be undersold, as that is no easy task. Landing Bona’s final visit certainly helped the Bruins' cause, but chalking the recruiting victory up to only that would be a bit unfair to the work Mick Cronin and company put in to land the four-star forward. UCLA made Bona feel like a priority for much longer than the Wildcats did, as Cronin and company pushed hard while UK chased other targets months ago. When Kentucky missed on five-star big Derek Lively, it turned its full attention to landing Bona, for whom the Bruins had already built a lead. John Calipari and company nearly overcame that deficit, however, as it briefly looked as though Bona may land in Lexington for a short time. Nobody will ever discuss it publicly, but it’s fair to wonder if things would have broken the other way had the Wildcats not chased Lively as intensely as they did.
Regardless of how it happened, however, Bona will be a Bruin. He five-star guard Amari Bailey and four-star guard Dylan Andrews on the program’s 2022 commitment list. The momentum from last year’s Final Four run is still alive and well in Westwood.