Sixers Center Joins Former No. 2 Pick in Franchise History vs Jazz

When the Philadelphia 76ers drafted Adem Bona in the second round in the 2024 draft, the expectation was that he'd be a long-term project to develop behind the scenes. However, he's ended up getting more than his fair share of playing time in year one due to injuries.

In these finals weeks of the season, Bona is going to play even more now that Joel Embiid has been shut down for the remainder of the year. He saw extended minutes on Sunday against the Utah Jazz and managed to put together arguably the best performance of his young career.

Bona logged 31 minutes off the bench, Bona filled the entire box score. He ended the night with a stat line of 14 points, 15 rebounds, two steals, and an impressive five blocks. This performance marked his first career double-double, along with numerous new game-highs.

Mar 9, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Adem Bona (30) drives to shoot against Utah Jazz center Kyle Filipowski (22) in the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Along with helping the Sixers put an end to their losing streak, Bona also joined some rare company in franchise history. He joins Shawn Bradley as the only Sixers rookies to record at least 14 points, 14 rebounds, two steals, and five blocks in a game.

Bradley, who the Sixers drafted No. 2 overall in 1993, spent two-and-a-half seasons with the franchise before eventually being traded. The 7-foot-6 big man enjoyed a decade-plus-long career in the NBA, but never fully met the expectations of being a top pick.

Overall, the Sixers should be pleased with what they've seen from Bona as a rookie. While he's a little undersized for the center position, he plays much bigger than he is. More importantly, he's shown flashes of being a productive energy guy in the frontcourt. If the Sixers can continue developing his game, Bona could end up being a steal for the front office as a second-round pick.

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