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2023-24 Men's Basketball Roster
Jersey Number 3
Adem Bona
- Position:
- Forward/Center
- Height:
- 6-10
- Weight:
- 245
- Class:
- Sophomore
- Hometown:
- Ebonyi, Nigeria
- High School:
- Prolific Prep [CA]
Bio
Career
Played in 66 games through two seasons (65 starts) โฆ averaged 10.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.7 blocks per game โฆ averaged 24.7 minutes per game in 66 contests โฆ was selected No. 41 overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2024 NBA Draft (second round selection on June 27, 2024) โฆ scored in double figures in 33 games and registered at least 20 points in four games (all during the 2023-24 season) โฆ recorded six double-doubles (five as a sophomore, one as a freshman) โฆ ranks No. 6 on UCLAโs career blocks list (115) โฆ became UCLAโs first player with at least 50 blocks in consecutive seasons since Dan Gadzuric in 1999-00 and 2000-01 โฆ twice earned Pac-12 All-Defensive Team recognition โฆ totaled a career-high 28 points in UCLAโs season-opening win over Saint Francis (Nov. 6, 2023).
2023-24
Started all 33 games during his sophomore season โฆ averaged 12.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.8 blocks per game โฆ averaged 26.5 minutes per game โฆ led the Bruins with 58 blocks (1.8 bpg) and ranked second on the team with 37 steals (1.1 spg) โฆ ranked No. 2 in the Pac-12 in blocks per game (1.8) and No. 3 in overall field goal percentage (58.8%) โฆ earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors for the first time in his career โฆ was honored as the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, becoming UCLAโs second consecutive winner of that award (Jaylen Clark, 2023) โฆ secured Pac-12 All-Defensive Team honors for the second straight season โฆ was one of 15 players named to the midseason watch list for the Naismith Menโs Defensive Player of the Year Award โฆ totaled a team-leading five double-doubles โฆ scored at least 10 points in 24 games and registered at least 20 points in four games โฆ finished with at least 10 rebounds in six games โฆ scored a career-best 28 points and had nine rebound and four blocks in the Bruinsโ season-opening win against Saint Francis (Nov. 6) โฆ also had 22 points in a win against Washington (Jan. 14) and 20 points in a victory over Long Island University (Nov. 15) โฆ totaled a career-best seven blocks in the Bruinsโ 68-66 win at Arizona State (Jan. 17) โฆ made a career-high 10 shots in two games โ against Washington (10-for-13 on Jan. 14) and versus Saint Francis (10-for-16 on Nov. 6) โฆ shot 69.6 percent at the free throw line, including a perfect 8-for-8 effort in a home win over Arizona State (March 9) โฆ played at least 30 minutes in 10 contests.
2022-23
Played in 33 games, making 32 starts โฆ averaged 7.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game โฆ averaged 22.9 minutes per game โฆ ranked No. 2 in the Pac-12 in overall field goal percentage (67.5%) โฆ was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, the Bruinsโ first such selection in the Pac-12 since Lonzo Ball in 2017 โฆ was one of five student-athletes to secure Pac-12 All-Freshman team honors (along with teammate Amari Bailey) โฆ was one of five players to earn Pac-12 All-Defensive Team acclaim (along with teammate Jaylen Clark) โฆ single-season shooting percentage of 67.5% ranks No. 3 on UCLAโs single-season record list (with a minimum 75 made shots in a season) โฆ led the Bruins with 57 blocks (1.7 blocks per game) and ranked No. 4 in the Pac-12 in blocks per game โฆ was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week in back-to-back weeks in early January โฆ scored in double figures in nine games โฆ recorded at least 10 rebounds in three games โฆ had one double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds in the Bruinsโ win against Colorado in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 Tournament (March 9) โฆ recorded a season-high 18 points (and had three blocks) in UCLAโs road win at Washington (Jan. 1) โฆ totaled a season-high 11 rebounds against Arizona State (March 2) โฆ registered a season-high three blocks in six games โฆ had a season-high three steals in a win at Washington State (Dec. 30) โฆ did not play against Arizona (March 11) or Gonzaga (March 23) due to a left shoulder injury sustained during the Pac-12 Tournament.
High School
Was a two-year varsity basketball letterwinner at Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) playing for head coach Billy McKnight โฆ was selected to play in the 2022 McDonaldโs All-American Game โฆ also was chosen to the rosters for the 2022 Jordan Brand Classic (in Chicago) โฆ was ranked No. 15, nationally, in the 247Sports.com composite recruit rankings, among players in his high school class โฆ was ranked as the second-best player in the state of California by 247Sports.com and ESPN.com โฆ was ranked No. 16, nationally, by ESPN.com and No. 22 by Rivals.com โฆ was listed by ESPN.com and Rivals.com as the fourth-best center in the nation โฆ averaged 15.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.5 blocks and 2.5 assists as a senior at Prolific Prep in 2021-22 โฆ was named an honorable mention All-America selection by MaxPreps.com at the conclusion of the 2021-22 high school season โฆ helped lead Prolific Prep to a 26-7 record, as his high school program concluded the year ranked No. 16 in the ESPN High School Boysโ Basketball Top 25 rankings โฆ Prolific Prep advanced to the semifinals of the 2022 GEICO Nationals, hosted at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers, Fla. โฆ Prolific Prep dropped a 59-53 decision in the semifinal round to Link Academy
ย
International
Representing the nation of Turkey (in July of 2022), was one of five players named to the โAll-Star Fiveโ at the FIBA U20 European Championship, having averaged 17.0 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game โฆ finished the 2022 FIBA U20 tournament having shot 66.2 percent (43-of-65) from the field and 68.8 percent (33-of-48) at the free throw line, through seven contests โฆ Turkey finished in sixth place in the tournament, defeating Belgium (78-75) to advance to the fifth-place match before losing to France (84-65) in the fifth-place contest.
ย
Personal
Full name: Adem Bona Okoro โฆ born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria โฆ his parents grew up in the Ebonyi State (Nigeria) โฆ is the son of the late Chikaodiri Okoro (father) and Udu Chinyere (mother, goes by โCigdemโ) โฆ is the youngest of his five siblings โ has two brothers (Obinna, Emeka) and two sisters (Chidinma, Amaka) โฆ grew up playing soccer and began to play basketball at the age of 13 โฆ moved from Nigeria to Turkey at the age of 13 โฆ African-American studies major.
Played in 66 games through two seasons (65 starts) โฆ averaged 10.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.7 blocks per game โฆ averaged 24.7 minutes per game in 66 contests โฆ was selected No. 41 overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2024 NBA Draft (second round selection on June 27, 2024) โฆ scored in double figures in 33 games and registered at least 20 points in four games (all during the 2023-24 season) โฆ recorded six double-doubles (five as a sophomore, one as a freshman) โฆ ranks No. 6 on UCLAโs career blocks list (115) โฆ became UCLAโs first player with at least 50 blocks in consecutive seasons since Dan Gadzuric in 1999-00 and 2000-01 โฆ twice earned Pac-12 All-Defensive Team recognition โฆ totaled a career-high 28 points in UCLAโs season-opening win over Saint Francis (Nov. 6, 2023).
2023-24
Started all 33 games during his sophomore season โฆ averaged 12.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.8 blocks per game โฆ averaged 26.5 minutes per game โฆ led the Bruins with 58 blocks (1.8 bpg) and ranked second on the team with 37 steals (1.1 spg) โฆ ranked No. 2 in the Pac-12 in blocks per game (1.8) and No. 3 in overall field goal percentage (58.8%) โฆ earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors for the first time in his career โฆ was honored as the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, becoming UCLAโs second consecutive winner of that award (Jaylen Clark, 2023) โฆ secured Pac-12 All-Defensive Team honors for the second straight season โฆ was one of 15 players named to the midseason watch list for the Naismith Menโs Defensive Player of the Year Award โฆ totaled a team-leading five double-doubles โฆ scored at least 10 points in 24 games and registered at least 20 points in four games โฆ finished with at least 10 rebounds in six games โฆ scored a career-best 28 points and had nine rebound and four blocks in the Bruinsโ season-opening win against Saint Francis (Nov. 6) โฆ also had 22 points in a win against Washington (Jan. 14) and 20 points in a victory over Long Island University (Nov. 15) โฆ totaled a career-best seven blocks in the Bruinsโ 68-66 win at Arizona State (Jan. 17) โฆ made a career-high 10 shots in two games โ against Washington (10-for-13 on Jan. 14) and versus Saint Francis (10-for-16 on Nov. 6) โฆ shot 69.6 percent at the free throw line, including a perfect 8-for-8 effort in a home win over Arizona State (March 9) โฆ played at least 30 minutes in 10 contests.
2022-23
Played in 33 games, making 32 starts โฆ averaged 7.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game โฆ averaged 22.9 minutes per game โฆ ranked No. 2 in the Pac-12 in overall field goal percentage (67.5%) โฆ was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, the Bruinsโ first such selection in the Pac-12 since Lonzo Ball in 2017 โฆ was one of five student-athletes to secure Pac-12 All-Freshman team honors (along with teammate Amari Bailey) โฆ was one of five players to earn Pac-12 All-Defensive Team acclaim (along with teammate Jaylen Clark) โฆ single-season shooting percentage of 67.5% ranks No. 3 on UCLAโs single-season record list (with a minimum 75 made shots in a season) โฆ led the Bruins with 57 blocks (1.7 blocks per game) and ranked No. 4 in the Pac-12 in blocks per game โฆ was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week in back-to-back weeks in early January โฆ scored in double figures in nine games โฆ recorded at least 10 rebounds in three games โฆ had one double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds in the Bruinsโ win against Colorado in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 Tournament (March 9) โฆ recorded a season-high 18 points (and had three blocks) in UCLAโs road win at Washington (Jan. 1) โฆ totaled a season-high 11 rebounds against Arizona State (March 2) โฆ registered a season-high three blocks in six games โฆ had a season-high three steals in a win at Washington State (Dec. 30) โฆ did not play against Arizona (March 11) or Gonzaga (March 23) due to a left shoulder injury sustained during the Pac-12 Tournament.
High School
Was a two-year varsity basketball letterwinner at Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) playing for head coach Billy McKnight โฆ was selected to play in the 2022 McDonaldโs All-American Game โฆ also was chosen to the rosters for the 2022 Jordan Brand Classic (in Chicago) โฆ was ranked No. 15, nationally, in the 247Sports.com composite recruit rankings, among players in his high school class โฆ was ranked as the second-best player in the state of California by 247Sports.com and ESPN.com โฆ was ranked No. 16, nationally, by ESPN.com and No. 22 by Rivals.com โฆ was listed by ESPN.com and Rivals.com as the fourth-best center in the nation โฆ averaged 15.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.5 blocks and 2.5 assists as a senior at Prolific Prep in 2021-22 โฆ was named an honorable mention All-America selection by MaxPreps.com at the conclusion of the 2021-22 high school season โฆ helped lead Prolific Prep to a 26-7 record, as his high school program concluded the year ranked No. 16 in the ESPN High School Boysโ Basketball Top 25 rankings โฆ Prolific Prep advanced to the semifinals of the 2022 GEICO Nationals, hosted at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers, Fla. โฆ Prolific Prep dropped a 59-53 decision in the semifinal round to Link Academy
ย
International
Representing the nation of Turkey (in July of 2022), was one of five players named to the โAll-Star Fiveโ at the FIBA U20 European Championship, having averaged 17.0 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game โฆ finished the 2022 FIBA U20 tournament having shot 66.2 percent (43-of-65) from the field and 68.8 percent (33-of-48) at the free throw line, through seven contests โฆ Turkey finished in sixth place in the tournament, defeating Belgium (78-75) to advance to the fifth-place match before losing to France (84-65) in the fifth-place contest.
ย
Personal
Full name: Adem Bona Okoro โฆ born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria โฆ his parents grew up in the Ebonyi State (Nigeria) โฆ is the son of the late Chikaodiri Okoro (father) and Udu Chinyere (mother, goes by โCigdemโ) โฆ is the youngest of his five siblings โ has two brothers (Obinna, Emeka) and two sisters (Chidinma, Amaka) โฆ grew up playing soccer and began to play basketball at the age of 13 โฆ moved from Nigeria to Turkey at the age of 13 โฆ African-American studies major.
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