By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The Philadelphia 76ers got some tough news late in the offseason. Turkish backup center Adem Bona has suffered a left foot sprain, which was confirmed by a recent MRI. The setback was announced by the Sixers on Thursday.
While the team did not provide clarification, the 23-year-old big picked up the injury while playing for the senior national team of Turkiye in the FIBA World Cup 2027 Qualifiers, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic. In four international offseason games, he tallied 8.8 points and 7.3 rebounds, helping Ergin Ataman’s side collect four wins.
The team announced that the Lagos native will be re-evaluated when training camp begins. He is currently expected to be ready well before the opener of the 2026–27 NBA Regular Season in October.
Once he is healthy, Bona will enter his third NBA year looking to secure his spot in a new-look frontcourt. He is coming off a solid second season where he averaged 4.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 81 games.
The energetic center has already shown he can protect the rim. Now, he will be fighting for minutes behind superstar Joel Embiid. His main competition is German free-agent signing Ariel Hukporti, who just won an NBA title with the New York Knicks.
Bona will need to bring his usual defensive energy and smart scoring to stay ahead in the rotation. Since Philadelphia recently guaranteed his contract, he remains a key piece of bench depth for a team with deep postseason goals.
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