Sixers pre-camp questions: How will backup center situation shake out?

Sixers pre-camp questions: How will backup center situation shake out? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers‘ new era is on deck.

With LeBron James and Jaylen Brown on board and training camp set to begin in late September, we’re taking a look at key questions for the 2026-27 Sixers.

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We’ve asked:

Next up: How will the Sixers’ backup center situation shake out?

Given Joel Embiid’s history of injury woes, the Sixers’ backup center picture has long been worthy of considerable scrutiny. Adem Bona and Ariel Hukporti are the two main figures entering the 2026-27 season.

Most Sixers fans are more familiar with Bona, the 41st overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft. He was one of the few bright spots in the Sixers’ injury-destroyed, 24-win season in 2024-25 and split the backup center job with Andre Drummond last year. Bona played 71 regular-season games and averaged 4.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 17.4 minutes per contest.

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At the 2024 draft combine, Bona’s 35-inch standing vertical leap tied for first. His big-time bounce has translated well to NBA shot blocking. The 23-year-old had a 3.3 block percentage last season, which ranked in the 88th percentile for big men according to Cleaning the Glass. He continued to struggle with excessive fouling — that problem popped up regularly in the playoffs — but Bona showed that his rookie shot blocking wasn’t just a byproduct of playing on an egregiously shorthanded team.

The essence of Bona’s game likely won’t change dramatically, but he’s aiming to be a steadier, more well-rounded player in Year 3.

“I think just staying consistent, trying to get better at everything,” he told reporters at his exit interview in May. “The most important thing for me is rebounding, (being) able to impact the team defensively, and offensively, being versatile and bringing so many things to the team besides just doing one thing. I think that’s my goal and that’s what I’m trying to improve.”

Hukporti seems set for an internal competition with Bona. After winning a championship as a member of the Knicks, he signed a one-year, $3.4 million contract to…

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Publish date : 2026-09-16 11:30:00

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