Adem Bona (Prolific Prep Photo)
National 247Sports basketball analyst Travis Branham is not exactly sure what Prolific Prep (Calif.) center Adem Bona is going to use as the final criteria when he picks either Kentucky or UCLA — and national recruiting analyst Joe Tipton reported Wednesday that Bona would make his college choice Monday.
Branham said Bona could see himself in the mold of former UK center Bam Adebayo who now plays for the Miami Heat. However, the national analyst says the UK version of Adebayo under John Calipari is not the same as the NBA version of Adebayo.
“If he is expecting to set screens, rebounds, score in the post, and have a little bit of a face-up game, that is a fit at Kentucky,” Branham said. “If he wants the NBA version of bringing the ball up the court, facilitating out of the high post … I don’t know if he is ready for that. His skillset is improving but has a ways to go.
“He is at his best when he is rim running. I have not seen many more athletic big men than Bona. He runs the floor extremely well. He’s explosive off the ground, rebounds, plays defense. If he wants to do those things, he’s a great fit at Kentucky. If he wants the ball in his hands, it could be a lot of growing pains and could breed frustration at Kentucky for him.”
If Bona does pick UK, Branham doesn’t see another big man in high school for UK to pursue in the 2022 recruiting class.
“I think it is Bona or bust. If UK misses on Bona, I think they go straight to the transfer route for a big man,” Branham said.
