While the UCLA Bruins have limped to an 11-9 record, highly touted freshman forward Jonah Bolden has been relegated to the sideline to watch his teammates struggle. Bolden was ruled academically ineligible prior to the start of the season due in part to the finish of his high school career.
The Australia native first attended notorious basketball academy Findlay Prep (Las Vegas) before transferring mid-season to Brewster Academy (New Hampshire). This choice doomed Bolden’s entire freshman campaign, but finally on Tuesday, he was ruled eligible to return to practice.
“It’s official, I’m eligible … Man it’s gonna be great to get back with squad helping them prep to get these W’s !! #UCLA #BruinsNation,” Bolden announced via Twitter.
It remains unclear if the issues will linger into Bolden’s sophomore season, but many NBA draft gurus see the four-star recruit as a potential lottery selection. Obviously, much of that hype comes solely from his high school days, and Bolden must again prove why he was worth the wait.
If Bolden does decide to return to UCLA, he will have three years of eligibility remaining but will have the ability to petition for the fourth year. Nonetheless, it’s rather unlikely Bolden would utilize all four seasons and could turn pro as early as this summer. Still, if Bolden wants to solidify himself in the lottery another year to fine tune his skill set could be an intelligent option.
Meanwhile, the Bruins are in the midst of their worst season in recent memory and appear to be on the outside looking in on a potential NCAA Tournament berth. Likewise, the Pac-12 is suffering from a down year, and UCLA won’t have many opportunities to rebuild their resume heading into post-season play. The 11-time National Champions must rely on an excellent Pac-12 tournament if they hope to go dancing.
*Section Photo credit to SydneyBasketballAssociation; Featured Photo (above) credit to Kirby Lee, USA Today Sports
