Research cutoff: July 18, 2026. Team: Philadelphia 76ers. Role: backup rim-running center.
2026-27 projection
| GP | MPG | FG% (FGM/FGA) | FT% (FTM/FTA) | 3PM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 65 | 16.0 | .610 (1.7/2.8) | .710 (0.9/1.3) | 0.0 | 4.3 | 4.0 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 0.7 |
Bona's 2025-26 baseline was 71 games and 17.4 minutes with .595/.708 shooting, 4.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.4 steals, 1.2 blocks, and 0.8 turnovers. The projection holds the fantasy identity and trims minutes slightly for Dominick Barlow and new center depth. Hashtag dynasty/stat page, updated July 2, 2026
Role and fantasy outlook
- 9-cat: blocks, FG%, rebounds, and low turnovers. No threes/assists and weak FT% make him a specialist rather than a balanced center.
- Points: low neutral scoring, but a strong per-minute rebound/block rate makes him an immediate add when Joel Embiid sits.
- Dynasty: Hashtag listed him 301st. He remains a deep center hold because Embiid's availability repeatedly creates starts, but Philadelphia also has Barlow, Ariel Hukporti, and Johni Broome. Hashtag dynasty
- Contract: Philadelphia controls a 2027-28 team option, giving Bona roster security without guaranteeing a larger role. RealGM roster, accessed July 18, 2026
Floor, base, ceiling
- Floor: 10-12 minutes if Barlow becomes the clear backup 5 and Embiid is unusually available.
- Base: 16 minutes; blocks streamer and 16-team center.
- Ceiling: 24-28 minutes during Embiid absences, with 8/7 and roughly two blocks—top-100 specialist stretches.
Health and uncertainty
Bona played 71 games, so the 65-game projection is driven more by DNP risk than injury. His fouling and limited spacing can shorten individual appearances. The key distinction is between being active and receiving rotation minutes.
Confidence
| Component | Confidence | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Per-minute blocks/FG% | High | Stable two-season archetype |
| Healthy minutes | Medium | Barlow can absorb center work |
| Embiid-absence upside | Medium-high | Cleanest rim-protection substitute |
| Games played | Medium | DNPs more important than health |
Career record
Pre-NBA: Born in Lagos, Nigeria, moved to Turkey at 13 and holds dual Nigerian and Turkish citizenship. Two seasons at UCLA: 7.7 points and 5.3 rebounds in 22.9 minutes on .675 shooting as a freshman in 2022-23, winning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and making the Pac-12 All-Defensive team; then 12.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 26.5 minutes in 2023-24 as first-team All-Pac-12 and Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. He started 65 of 66 college games and finished sixth in UCLA history with 115 blocks. Draft: 2024, second round, 41st overall by Philadelphia.
| Season | Age | Team | GP | MPG | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3PM | FG% | FT% | TO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 21 | PHI | 58 | 15.6 | 5.8 | 4.2 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 0.0 | .703 | .670 | 1.1 |
| 2025-26 | 22 | PHI | 71 | 17.4 | 4.8 | 4.3 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 0.0 | .595 | .708 | 0.8 |
| Career | 129 | 16.6 | 5.3 | 4.3 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 0.0 | .646 | .690 | 0.9 |
Starts by season: 11, then 18. The rebounding, blocks, assists and steals rates are identical across both years; the only real movement is field-goal percentage falling from .703 to .595 on slightly more minutes, alongside a useful turnover reduction from 1.1 to 0.8.
Durability: 58 games as a rookie, when he was also assigned several times to the Delaware Blue Coats, then 71 in 2025-26. No significant injury absences have been reported. The games-played risk here is rotational, not medical — fouls shorten individual appearances and Philadelphia's center depth produces DNPs.
Trajectory: Two seasons of a stable, narrow archetype: a rim-running, shot-blocking backup five who takes no threes, rebounds well per minute, and does not create. The 2025-26 efficiency drop is the one worrying signal, since finishing was the whole offensive case. He is competing with Barlow, Hukporti and Broome for the minutes behind Embiid, and his fantasy value is entirely conditional on Embiid's availability — an Embiid absence pushes him to 24-28 minutes and roughly 8 points, 7 rebounds and two blocks, which is a genuine top-100 specialist run. Healthy Embiid means 16 minutes and waiver-wire status.
Career sources: ESPN career stats · Wikipedia · ESPN bio · RealGM roster
Open questions
- Does Bona start every Embiid rest game?
- Can he reduce fouls enough to hold 25 minutes?
- Does improved FT% make him easier to roster?
Related: Philadelphia 76ers · Joel Embiid · Dominick Barlow · Ariel Hukporti