UCLA center Adem Bona declares for 2023 NBA Draft

UCLA center Adem Bona has declared for the 2023 NBA Draft according to On3’s Joe Tipton. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony was first to report. He was a force on defense this past season.

“UCLA big man Adem Bona has declared for the 2023 NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility, per source,” Tipton said. “Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and former 5(-star) recruit.”

Bona burst onto the scene as a true freshman this past season, winning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and earning a spot on the Pac-12 All-Defense and All-Freshman teams. He led UCLA with 1.7 blocks per game to help the Bruins become the top defense in the conference.

Bona’s biggest game came at a good time as he scored 11 points, pulled down 10 rebounds and blocked three shots in the Pac-12 quarterfinal against Colorado for his first career double-double. However, he missed most of the NCAA Tournament due to a shoulder injury. He played in the Round of 32 against Northwestern, but coach Mick Cronin said Bona was “extremely sore” afterward and he didn’t play in the Sweet Sixteen.

Bona played high school hoops at Prolific Prep (Calif.), where he was a five-star prospect. He was the No. 20 overall recruit in the 2022 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

More on the 2023 NBA Draft

The 2023 NBA Draft is set to take place on Thursday, June 22, 2023, in Brooklyn at Barclays Center. Round 1 of the draft will be announced by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, while Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum is expected to handle the second round of picks.

To be eligible for the NBA Draft, players must be at least 19 years in age during the calendar year that the draft is held and at least one NBA season from their high school graduation date, or the date that would have been if they are not graduated. It is not required that player spend that one year playing college basketball, though. Players can play in either college, abroad, or the G League Ignite if they choose so.

While this is a significant change from what the rules once were, players are eligible to enter their names into the NBA Draft pool and explore their options by hiring an agent to go through the process, while still keeping their college eligibility. The deadline to make that move is on April 23 beginning at 11:59 p.m. ET. Players have until June 12 at 5 p.m. ET to withdraw their name from the pool and return to college.

The NBA Draft Lottery will be held on May 16, which is also the start of the NBA Conference Finals.