UCLA Men's Basketball: Insiders Believe Bruins Center Could Enjoy Breakout Season

UCLA big man Adem Bona is the reigning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. When he decided to test the NBA waters last summer, there was some thought that he'd bypass coming back to college in favor of the professional ranks.

After conducting some interviews with NBA teams, Bona was given valuable information about his game and how he could improve as a player.

Still rehabbing from a shoulder issue suffered last year, Bona decided to skip entering the 2023 NBA Draft -- thus paving the way for his return to Westwood. He made UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin a very happy guy in the process.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL'S BREAKOUT STARS, via The Almanac

Ranking the top 25 players in line for a breakout 2023-24 season. To see the full list, purchase The Almanac here: https://t.co/heuZW62nIn

Proudly presented by @globalsande pic.twitter.com/pA5SQAjvdF
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) September 29, 2023

With Bona returning to school, he automatically becomes one of the more intriguing big men not only in the Pac-12 but nationally as well. Via The Field of 68, The Almanac recently came out with a list of five players ready to break out this upcoming year.

Unsurprisingly, Bona was listed in the top five -- coming in at No. 4 overall.

Bona's role on this year's team will be changing a bit. The bulk of UCLA's scoring a year ago came from Jaime Jaquez Jr., Jaylen Clark, Tyger Campbell, David Singleton, and Amari Bailey. All five of them are gone. Bona averaged 7.7 PPG a year ago -- and those numbers are expected to go up into the double-digit totals.

WHAT A BLOCK BY ADEM BONA!pic.twitter.com/Nb8UhtaScI
— Heat Check CBB (@HeatCheckCBB) February 26, 2023

He's mostly known as a defensive presence at this point. Bona truly does possess some rare physical gifts. Not only is he a human pogo stick vertically, but his lateral quickness for a guy his size is truly abnormal in the best way possible.

UCLA itself is a national brand, and Cronin has done a terrific job restoring the Bruins' place among the best programs in the country.

The non-conference slate gives Bona a terrific opportunity to showcase his talents on a national stage. UCLA will be playing Marquette in the Maui Invitational -- and there's a chance the Bruins could also be playing the likes of Kansas, Purdue, and potentially Tennessee during that competition.

Additionally, UCLA will host Maryland, play at Villanova, and square off in a neutral-site game against Ohio State.

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