Heading into the Philadelphia 76ers’ matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks tonight, they’d have to face Giannis Antetokounmpo without the services of Joel Embiid and Andre Drummond. Philadelphia had to rely on Adem Bona to go toe to toe with one of the best power forwards in NBA history and he rose to the occasion. Less than two minutes into the game, Bona ran out in transition and aggressively threw it down, which unknown at the moment, set the tone.
While the Bucks outlasted the 76ers 126-113, Bona notched a career-high 28 points on 13-15 shooting from the field, six rebounds, three blocks, and two steals. The rookie center hit the ground running – scoring 12 points in the opening frame, which paved the way for him to lead Philadelphia in scoring. Bona was also the first rookie to record those numbers on 85% shooting from the field this century.
Inside Adem Bona's career night
Bona found success offensively by operating off the ball as a cutter and roll-man, which allowed him to get a series of open shots down low. He also showcased some shot creation – faking a handoff and attacking the slow-footed Brook Lopez and sinking a hook shot in the low post. Three of Bona’s six rebounds came from the offensive glass, which he used to rake in put-back layups.
Defensively, Bona held his own against Antetokounmpo, especially when he took him off the dribble. Between his athleticism and length, Bona made things difficult for the two-time Most Valuable Player. Nonetheless, Antetokounmpo bested him and completely dissected Philadelphia’s defense in the non-Bona minutes – posting 35 points on 73.4% true-shooting, 20 assists, and 17 rebounds.
Nick Nurse praised Bona’s career-best performance – stating he was impactful around the basket: “Everything he did was super good”, reported Sam DiGiovanni of Clutch Points.
What the future holds for Adem Bona
While the 76ers have been eliminated from playoff contention and inch closer to the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, this final handful of games have given them a chance to see what they have in their young prospects such as Bona. With his two-way prowess, Bona has likely cemented his case to be Philadelphia’s main reserve center – assuming Joel Embiid returns next season.
In his last five games, Bona averaged 14.6 points per game on 76.5% true-shooting, 7.6 rebounds per game 3.4 blocks per game, and 1.2 steals per game. He is undoubtedly in the midst of the best stretch of his career – proving his impact as an athletic rim-running/shot-blocking center with flashes of self-creation. While Bona has areas he needs to improve on – namely his foul discipline – the potential is oozing.