Apr 11, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Adem Bona (30) is introduced before the game against the Atlanta Hawks at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

NBA Rookie Reflects on Major Opportunity With Sixers

Originally posted on Philadelphia 76ers on SI
By Justin Grasso | Last updated Apr 12, 2025 4:50 PM ET

Former UCLA standout Adem Bona did something that not many Philadelphia 76ers players did before him. He saw significant minutes with the main roster despite being a former second-rounder in his first season.

Granted, Bona’s playing time is a result of injuries to guys like Joel Embiid and Andre Drummond, but it’s an opportunity for him to showcase and develop. Times are tough for the Sixers overall, but for Bona, he’s getting a rare chance to better himself ahead of his sophomore effort.

“This is big,” the center said after Friday’s loss against the Atlanta Hawks.

“Going into next year, it’s going to help me kickstart next year. Now, the team trusts me a little bit. They know Bona is going to protect the rim. They know Bona is going to run the floor. He’s going to set screens, so it just helps me carry it over to next year.”

Since Daryl Morey took over the Sixers’ front office in 2020, the Sixers have made and kept five players in the second round of the NBA Draft, including Bona. All but one of them were centers.

During Paul Reed’s rookie season, he picked up just 26 appearances, averaging seven minutes of playing time. Charles Bassey’s rookie effort featured 23 appearances for an average of seven minutes. Filip Petrusev was stashed overseas.

With one game left in the 2024-2025 NBA season, Bona has 57 games under his belt, along with 10 starts, while averaging 15 minutes on the court. His role is sure to downsize with the return of Embiid and potentially Drummond, but the rookie has proven that he shouldn’t be a frequent visitor to the G League while picking up DNPs nightly.

In total, Bona has averaged six points, four rebounds, and one block this year. Over the last eight games, the center has seen the court for an average of 30 minutes, posting 15 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks. While there are still areas to work on, Bona has shown enough to deserve a real look at becoming Embiid’s primary backup moving forward.