Philadelphia 76ers select UCLA center Adem Bona with 41st overall pick in 2024 NBA draft
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Philadelphia 76ers selected UCLA center Adem Bona with the 41st overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft Thursday.
Bona, a Lagos, Nigeria native, started in 33 games last season for the Bruins. He averaged 12.4 points and 5.9 rebounds in 26.5 minutes per game. He also averaged 1.8 blocks and 1.1 steals.
"Adem is a high-motor player with proven abilities as both a rim protector and switchable defender," Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said in a statement. "He possesses an impressive blend of size, athleticism, and defensive toughness, and we're excited to add him to our team."
The Sixers have been looking for a competent backup center for years behind former NBA MVP Joel Embiid, and likely hope to develop Bona after Paul Reed had an up-and-down 2023-24 season. Reed's salary isn't guaranteed because the Sixers lost to the Knicks in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
CBS Sports described Bona's game as an "athletic big man with extremely long arms and a supercharged motor." He has a 7-foot, 3.75-inch wingspan and stands at 6-foot-10.
Bona was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria before he moved to Turkey when he was 13 and played with the Turkish national team. He moved to the United States in 2020 and played high school basketball for two seasons at Prolific Prep in California, where he was a five-star recruit and selected for the McDonald's All-American Game.
CBS Sports listed veteran big man Bismack Biyombo as a pro player comparison to Bona.
The Sixers drafted Jared McCain out of Duke University with the 16th overall pick Wednesday night.