When the Philadelphia 76ers selected Adem Bona out of UCLA with the 41st overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft, it was lauded by most evaluators as a solid choice. The Sixers were ready to move on from Paul Reed, and despite Andre Drummond’s acquisition, they were still in need of a long-term solution at the backup center position.
Bona was the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and profiled as a classic rim-running big, ready to block shots and throw down slams on each end. We saw that profile in action during Summer League play, with Bona averaging 5.