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UCLA Basketball: Former Bruin Jonah Bolden sneaking up draft boards

By David Goldman

Dec 19, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Jonah Bolden (43) drives around North Carolina Tar Heels forward Isaiah Hicks (4) during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 19, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Jonah Bolden (43) drives around North Carolina Tar Heels forward Isaiah Hicks (4) during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports /
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Former UCLA Basketball Forward Jonah Bolden has followed an unusual path to the NBA. Now, he’s less than a week away from finding out which NBA team he’ll be playing for next year.

Remember Jonah Bolden? The prep star from Australia who chose UCLA Basketball over Louisville, Indiana, and Kentucky among others? That lanky 6’10” forward who played atop Steve Alford’s 1-3-1 press for a season?

I don’t blame you if you’ve forgotten (we all want to forget 2015-16), but now, after playing a year professionally in Serbia, Bolden is flying up several draft boards and could be selected in next Thursday’s NBA Draft.

Bolden arrived at UCLA in 2014-15 but was ruled ineligible by the NCAA stemming from his move from Australia to a traditional American high school.

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Bolden was finally cleared for 2015-16 and he played well in more of a limited role. Bolden came off the bench for most of the season and finished averaging 4.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game.

Following the season, Bolden was upset with his role on the Bruins. He wanted to remain a small forward, but many of his minutes were coming at the power forward position.

Bolden did not want to remain in a bench role either so he decided the best thing for him to do was move on and play professionally in the ABA in Serbia.

In an article written by The Ringer’s Jonathan Tjarks, Bolden had this to say about his departure from the Bruins:

"“I had a great experience with the coaches at UCLA, and I’m still close with a lot of people there, but I felt like I could do more [in Europe] and better utilize my skill set.”"

Utilize his skill set he did. In Serbia, Bolden averaged 12.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. Those numbers were good enough to earn him the title of ABA League Top Prospect, an honor previously won by NBA stars Nikola Jokic and Dario Saric.

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Bolden has been soaring up draft boards in recent weeks as scouts love his frame at 6’10” with a 7’3″ wingspan. We’ll find out where Bolden and the rest of the former Bruins are going to be playing next year very soon as the NBA Draft is this Thursday, June 22, at 4 p.m. PT.