WATCH: Adem Bona on UCLA Debut, Adjusting to College Game
UCLA men's basketball center Adem Bona spoke with reporters ahead of Wednesday morning's practice session at the Mo Ostin Basketball Center. Bona talked about playing his first two games with the Bruins, why he missed the season opener, the biggest adjustments he's had to make at the college level, the role he thinks he fills down low and how helpful it is to have seniors on the roster to show him the ropes.
So how were your first two games as a Bruin?
They’ve been amazing, it’s a great transition from high school to college, having made that for the past months of the year, it’s been great.
What's been the biggest adjustment going to the college game?
Um, I would say the speed and the attention to detail from coming high school to college everything is more precise and organized, so it’s more about the details and the little stuff.
Your role on the team?
Um, that’s going to be up to the coach, for one, and two I would do anything possible for the team to win. I believe I’m a winner, I will do anything in my power to help the team win and anything that’s needed of me, I will do it.
Easier to be on a team with some many seniors that have gone through a lot?
I think that’s really, really good for me coming in as a freshman and playing against a good amount of veterans and guys with experience in a championship game, have been there before, it’s really good for me, I get experience and see it from both sides, they try to help me through practice, help me through games. The first couple of months I was struggling a little bit with some of learning stuff and they helped me a lot with everything and that’s really good for me as a freshman coming in. It’s been great.
What happened with the game you sat out?
Um, that was between me and the team and me and I and I’m just going to leave it there.
What are your biggest strengths as a player?
I would say my height—I’ve got big height—I always want to win, [inaudible] but I believe talking is an ability, I talk a lot, I yell a lot, I’ve got a big mouth, I might as well use it, you know? I feel like those one of my major attributes and I’ve been using my strength real well, I’ve been using my speed and yeah, those are my attributes.
How excited are you going into this weekend and playing two good teams?
I’m very excited, I’m pumped playing big teams for the first time, it’s really exciting and I’m really looking forward to the games.
Is being at UCLA everything you thought it would be?
Oh, yeah, it’s exceeded my expectations coming to one of the best public universities in the world, it’s one of the best possible programs in the country, it’s kind of a sign for me coming from Nigeria it’s kind of, I’m pumped, yeah.
What are the keys to being a good rim protector?
One, you’ve got to be ready to help your team out. Two, you need the timing, obviously you need the size, you need the jumping but also it's the timing, willing to help your teammates out, not just thinking about yourself or your man. I think about my teammates in every situation possible trying to help them out if help’s needed and sometimes I can’t afford to trap or help them but I try to help my teammates whenever they need me.
What's it like having someone like Jaylen Clark with you on the defensive side of the ball?
Oh, it’s, I knew right out of high school, the first time I watched Jaylen was against Stanford back in North Cal and Jaylen was the defensive specialist and he was stopping everyone and I was like, I can’t wait to get on the team and compete with him and Jaylen is a star out there defensively, I can only imagine hopefully wanting beat him, the goal is to obviously get [inaudible] and battle with him as a teammate. It’s fun in practice, we get hyped when we’re going against each other, it’s fun.
Follow Connon on Twitter at @SamConnon
Follow All Bruins on Twitter at @FN_AllBruins
Like All Bruins on Facebook at @FN.AllBruins
Subscribe to All Bruins on YouTube
Read more UCLA stories: UCLA Bruins on Sports Illustrated
Read more UCLA men's basketball stories: UCLA Men's Basketball on Sports Illustrated
