NCAA Basketball: Top 10 players to wear jersey No. 3 in 2023-24 season
By Joey Loose
6. Adem Bona (UCLA)
Last year Bona showed great potential, winning Pac-12 Rookie of the Year in what amounted to a great season for the Bruins. Unfortunately, UCLA took a step back this past season, but Bona certainly wasn’t the reason. He took a bona fide step forward in his sophomore season and was a major reason for any success felt in southern California this year.
Bona’s step forward involved 12.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game, developing his game in a major way on both sides of the court. Not only was he a more consistent scorer and free throw shooter, his impact on the other end was felt strongly. Bona finished second in the league in blocks and was named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year for his efforts.
Despite the former five-star’s efforts, UCLA did have a dreary season, finishing below .500, though Bona stood out many times. He dropped a career-high 28 points on Saint Francis on opening night and would become a dominant force in the paint across the year. He’d have seven blocks in a win over Arizona State in January and would have a 20-point, 12-rebound affair against those same Sun Devils to finish the regular season. It’s hard to blame Bona for UCLA’s struggles when he’s become such a great weapon for this program.