Adem Bona, the reigning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, will return to UCLA for his sophomore season, according to Jonathan Givony.

Bona was a projected second-round pick in this year's NBA Draft but will withdraw his name from consideration and return to college to presumably boost his stock for next year.

“I have a great relationship with the coaching staff; I love my teammates and I love this school,” Bona said. “I know UCLA is the right program for me and I love it here.”

Bona averaged 7.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game as a freshman. Though he feels he's ready for the professional ranks, there are things he wants to work on before getting the call from the NBA.

“I believe I have the tools to go pro now, but I know there are some aspects of my game I need to improve on,” Bona said. “This process is just as much about timing as it is about skill, so I need to prepare and put myself in the perfect situation when turning pro, and I don't think the time is now. ”

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Bona suffered a shoulder injury during the Pac-12 tournament last season that required surgery, which he received in April. The timing of the surgery prevented him from improving his stock in this year's draft, giving him another reason to return to school.

UCLA will certainly welcome Adem Bona back with open arms. The Bruins are losing their top five scorers from last season's 31-win team. Bona is expected to have a massive role for the Bruins this fall.