Adem Bona’s rookie flashes were among the few silver linings the Philadelphia 76ers had in their catastrophic 2024-25 season. Since Philadelphia was tanking in the last few months of the year, not many people paid attention to any developments it had. However, that’s no longer the case as Bona’s talents have been boldly recognized by NBA 2K26.
NBA 2K revealed the 10 players with the highest shot-blocking rating in NBA 2K26 last week. Adem Bona unexpectedly cracked the top six with a 91 block rating. He only trailed Walker Kessler (93), Donovan Clingan (93), Robert Williams III (95), Chet Holmgren (97), and Victor Wembanyama (99). The list is questionable to say the least, but it’s great to see Bona in the national limelight.
Bona is yet another hidden gem for the 76ers
The 76ers selected Bona with the 35th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and it didn’t take long for them to receive a strong return on investment. Bona saw a limited role in the first half of last season with Andre Drummond and Guerschon Yabusele taking the bulk of the center minutes in Joel Embiid’s absence. It wasn’t until Philadelphia fully embraced a tank that the UCLA product began to shine.
He quickly established himself as the 76ers’ bounciest center since Joel Embiid in his youth. Bona showed flashes as a prototypical shot-blocking, rim-running big, who may have a higher ceiling than many thought. He played in 58 games for Philadelphia where he posted 5.8 points per game on 70.3% shooting from the field. Bona also notched 4.2 rebounds per game and 1.2 blocks per game.
Bona's stock continues to rise
It’s not so much the raw numbers he produced, it’s about the glimpses of two-way dominance he displayed. His anticipation as a help-side defender combined with his athleticism could give Philadelphia’s defense a much-needed burst. He’s also not limited to rim-rolling offensively. Bona excels at fake-handoffs where he draws defenders towards his hip – giving him an open lane to the rim.
However, he’s still a raw talent. The two biggest steps for his development are improving his foul discipline and taking better care of the ball. Bona often gets into foul trouble with his aggressive defensive style. He’s prone to live-ball turnovers while driving to the rim or when forced to kick it out. These issues are fixable with time and there’s no reason to not believe Bona will iron this out. Everyone in the Delaware Valley should be excited for his year-two progression.