The Philadelphia 76ers may be tripling down on winning a championship right now, as signaled by their flurry of flashy moves this offseason, but anyone claiming that the franchise is mortgaging its entire future is boldly mistaken.
Sure, while the club is hoarded with veteran cogs for the most part, Tyrese Maxey, one of the league’s fastest rising stars, and Jared McCain, a promising three-level scorer, are both solid building blocks to ensure that the team stays relevant well beyond their immediate title window.
However, there’s another name that cannot be forgotten, at least according to Andre Drummond.
Andre Drummond speaks glowingly about 76ers rookie Adem Bona
The 76ers had their Media Day just recently, and one of the new faces the team introduced — at least for this season — is Andre Drummond, who returned to Philly via free agency for a second stint with the franchise, the first one coming during the 2021-22 campaign.
A former two-time All-Star and now, a respected role player himself, Drummond certainly knows how to last long in this league as a traditional big man. Fortunately for the 76ers, he said that he desires to mentor rookie Adem Bona, whom the team somehow managed to snag in the second-round in this year’s draft.
The 21-year-old, like Drummond, is a highly physical bruiser who thrives under and seeks contact. He’s not quite the rebounder that he is yet, but Bona is highly athletic and has incredible motor for a player of his stature.
In a recent correspondence with PhillyVoice’s Adam Aaronson, Drummond bared that he’s taken Bona under his wing since Day One, speaking highly of his energy and the fact that he looks up to him as a mentor.
I take pride in it When I got here, I pulled him aside and said, 'I'm not here to tell you what to do or change your game. If you ever want any type of advice, what to do in the post, just ask.' And he's done a great job of just pulling me aside, like, 'Hey, what do you think about this?'
I'll bring him at nighttime and we'll work out together, too. So our relationship is very tight from day one.
With Drummond guaranteed to get all the backup minutes at center behind Joel Embiid, there’s not much that Bona is expected to do immediately in his freshman campaign. Having said that, he’s much more likely to stay put with the franchise than the veteran Drummond, making this a great sign not only for his individual growth, but also for the team in its distant future.
Indeed, the Philadelphia 76ers are funneling all their energy in keeping with their bold win-now edict, but it’s also nice to see the franchise make proactive moves directed at the future, just like with Andre Drummond honing Adem Bona.