5-Star C Adem Bona Commits to UCLA over Kentucky

UCLA received a massive boost to its 2022 recruiting class Monday with a commitment from 5-star center Adem Bona:

Bona is ranked as the No. 19 overall player and the fifth-best center among the 2022 group in 247Sports' composite rankings. The Prolific Prep standout is also rated as the No. 3 recruit out of California.

The 18-year-old Nigerian moved to Turkey as a teenager and rose to prominence while playing for the Turkish youth national team at the FIBA U16 European Championship in 2019.

After getting a taste of professional basketball with Pinar Karsiyaka in Turkey, he moved to the United States to play at Prolific Prep as a rapidly emerging top prospect.

Although his offensive game remains a work in progress, his lanky 6'9", 225-pound frame and high-end athleticism make him a potential impact defender right away in college.

In August 2019, Bona told FIBA Basketball he looked up to former Detroit Pistons star Ben Wallace, a four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

"I like Ben Wallace because he was an undersized big guy and he was aggressive all the time," he said. "He would take on guys bigger than him. He made defense fun for basketball. Before Ben Wallace, there wasn't much fun on defense in basketball. He made it fun. That's why I like him."

Bona also mentioned the Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo as someone with a story that provides motivation: "It's a big inspiration. I watch a lot of Giannis videos. I watched his life story. It's an inspiration to me."

While he has plenty of development ahead of him to reach the NBA success of those players, it's clear he possesses a lot of raw potential.

For Mick Cronin and the Bruins, Bona likely won't be a game-changer at both ends right out of the gate, but he should make a defensive impact and showcase steady growth offensively.

As long as he acclimates himself well, it could be a short one-year stay at UCLA before he shifts his focus toward the 2023 NBA draft.