Busting Brackets
Fansided

NCAA Basketball: Top 10 players to wear jersey No. 3 in 2023-24 season

Mar 31, 2024; Detroit, MI, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Dalton Knecht (3) controls the ball defended by Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith (3) in the second half during the NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional Championship at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 31, 2024; Detroit, MI, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Dalton Knecht (3) controls the ball defended by Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith (3) in the second half during the NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional Championship at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports / Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
8 of 13
Next

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.