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It feels like a make-or-break year for Adem Bona.
With all the excitement and anticipation around the 2026-27 Sixers squad on top of the fact that he is entering his third year as an NBA center, there is going to be a lot of pressure on Bona’s shoulders this season to actually solidify himself as rotation-worthy at this level.
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With two years in the NBA under Bona’s belt, there have been ups and there have certainly been downs. That feels like the crux of the issue for Bona, actually. There have been moments that he shows incredible promise to be an impactful player with his high level of energy… but other times, he has looked completely lost, making more than his fair share of unforced errors. The balance, as it stands, is not exactly in Bona’s favor.
For what it’s worth, the 23-year-old has likely featured more heavily in NBA play than he might have ever expected to as a young center (making 71 appearances and 18 starts in 2025-26) simply due to the context of being on the Sixers. The backup five position in Philadelphia in the era of Joel Embiid has been and will continue to be an absolutely critical one. Even at his healthiest, Embiid is simply not going to be out there every game. Even if he was, he can’t be out there every minute. Having someone reliable to step in off the bench and even to start in those Embiid-less moments has been a continuing story (and struggle) for this team for years.
And going into this campaign, he’ll have some competition for the role with 7’0″, 246-pound Ariel Hukporti, whom the Sixers signed with a portion of their bi-annual exception this offseason, joining the squad.
And to this point, Bona hasn’t exactly found the footing to really establish himself as the reliable backup big for Philadelphia by any means. He is an energetic young player and is one of the best shot blockers you could ask for, but he’s virtually inconsequential (at best) on the offensive end minus a few dunks, struggles with defensive rebounding and is no stranger to unforced errors like moving screens and silly fouls.
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The one most puzzling (and I think most detrimental to his value…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/adem-bona-finally-establish-himself-201433183.html
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Publish date : 2026-09-22 20:14:00
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