Former UCLA Bruin basketball player and current center for the Philadelphia 76ers Adem Bona has shined for the franchise down the stretch of the NBA season. Originally drafted out of UCLA in the second round by the 76ers, Bona is putting a nice finish on his first season in the pros.
For starters, Bona has averaged 5.6 points per game, and records around four rebounds per game. He’s played in 57 games for the Sixers and has started ten of them. While he’s averaged less than six points a game all season, a new watcher wouldn’t view the former Bruin in that light.
Over Philadelphia’s recent three games, Bona has stepped up and has provided well for the team. Over the stretch, Bona has scored 51 points, dropping 18 most recently, 17 the game before, and 16 the game before the second. In the month of April, he also recorded a career high 28 points in the 76ers’ loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.
While Guerschon Yabusele has been dealing with a knee injury, the former Bruin is showcasing what he can bring to the team sooner rather than later. Yabusele has started over 40 games for the 76ers and has averaged 11 points per game in his third NBA season.
Early on in his NBA rookie season, Bona averaged under 15 minutes a game until March. Since March, the UCLA product has seen his role increase tremendously, as he is averaging 26.5 minutes of playing time, something any rookie center would love to be granted.
Going into the playoffs, in which the 76ers do not hold a spot, given their 24 wins and 57 losses, they are in a position to see what their young players have to bring to the table. Once next season approaches, these games will likely be in consideration of who deserves regular playing time in 2026.
If Bona can continue his production down the stretch, consistently putting up double digits in the scoring column, the franchise can not only be spoilers for teams in a playoff position, but he’ll also earn himself a new role going forward.
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