Prospect Spotlight: Nick Bonner (2020)

Israel Potoczny

June 4, 2019 @ 07:15 PM

A strong guard who likes to take the ball to the basket, Derby 2020 Nick Bonner is putting together a breakout spring running with Kansas MTXE. At 6’2, Bonner brings a strong, physical game to the floor and likes to score in transition and get his teammates involved as well. He says running with Kansas MTXE has helped him prepare for what he hopes is a breakout senior season. “Playing for my summer team has been very fun,” he says. “And summer basketball is preparing me for high school basketball by just giving me more confidence for the season. “I have worked a lot on my shooting and my ball handling.” Bonner says Derby put a young team on the floor last season and went through some growing pains on the way to a 7-15 season. “(We) had three starters go out because of injury and we had a lot of younger guys step up,” he said. “I felt like last season I could've done better on the offensive side of the ball.” Growing up in a military family, Bonner says his mother has had the biggest influence on his basketball career to date. “My dad is in the military and he is sometimes overseas so my mom comes to my games and takes me to camps so she is the reason why I play,” he said. A fan of the Raptors’ Kawhi Leonard, Bonner says he appreciates his abilities at both ends of the floor. “He lets the game come to him and he is just super humble and he knows what he's doing at all times,” Bonner said. “What I take from his game is just matching his effort on defense.” While he doesn’t currently hold any offers, Bonner says several schools have reached out to invite him to their camp this summer, including Southwest Baptist University, University of Central Arkansas, Northeastern State, Colorado College and others.