CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers were one of the biggest surprises of the 2024 NBA Draft simply because they just stood pat and made selections with the picks they had. Selecting Jared McCain with the 16th overall pick and Adem Bona with the 41st overall pick gave Philly more youth and upside as they head into a pivotal free agency period. The new kids on the block have a lot of work to do. But they know that — and they’re ready.
For a lot of rookies, their teams are bad but it gives them more of a chance to play. Live-action reps are a critical part of a player's development. Those will be tougher to come by on a team with an established pecking order led by All-Stars that is bound to feature other high-level players eventually. Still, landing in a winning environment is what they both hoped for heading into the draft.
“I mean, since high school, I feel like I've wanted to be on the biggest platforms, be on the biggest stages and that's why I chose Duke. And now to be in Philly, to have those championship aspirations, I feel like I'm ready for it,” McCain said. “I've always wanted to play in the big games and I feel like when the lights are the brightest, I feel like that's when I want to show out and be myself out there on the court.”
Ditto for Bona.
“I've always wanted to be on a team that competes,” he said. “I played for UCLA, we were one of the best teams in college basketball my freshman year, which was really exciting — to learn from guys like Tyger [Campbell] and Jaime [Jaqeuz Jr.] my freshman year. And it's really exciting to be able to continue that in the league, to play for a team that's contending for the championship. That's really everything I wanted.”
The 76ers' championship aspirations led to lots of speculation that one or both of their picks would be used to trade for veteran players. All the stars that Philly has been linked to led to the common belief that at least its first-round pick would be on the move. Daryl Morey and company, however, were too pleased with the prospects that fell to them to trade the picks away.
McCain and Bona having Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid ahead of them on the depth chart — and potentially several others depending on how the rest of the Sixers' roster construction shakes out — provides them each with a star at their position to lean on and learn from. Both players have generated buzz with their work ethics and high-end skills that suit the modern NBA. For McCain, it’s his three-point shooting. For Bona, it's his defensive upside.
They each have plenty of alumni from their respective colleges to reach out to for help. Bona named the teammates he took advice from while McCain jokingly said that he “unfortunately” talked with JJ Redick as well as Paolo Banchero, Jabari Parker and former Sixer Seth Curry.
As they process their excitement over getting drafted and funnel it into on-court work, both rookies intend to flaunt the skills that made them stand out from the rest of their draft class. But at the same time, they are also willing to develop areas that the 76ers' coaching staff asks of them. Philly’s inclusion in the Salt Lake City Summer League gives them additional games against fellow fresh faces before the real games begin in October.
Jared McCain looking to grow as on-ball creator in NBA
Playing with other ball-dominant guards and a high-scoring center made McCain more of an off-ball threat at Duke. His shooting made him a natural there. Stepping into threes in fast breaks and attacking scrambled defenses gave him more space to attack and let his shot fly.
But as the 20-year-old guard makes the transition to the NBA, McCain won't be able to get by only by shooting from distance. He will have to become more of a scoring threat on the ball, an area that he mentioned he wants to grow in on the night of the draft. His lower-body strength and creativity give him a good starting point but he will have to overcome a small frame and a lack of eye-popping burst.
McCain will also have to find a way to hang on defense, too. He said that he watched Fred VanVleet to learn more about how to excel on defense as an undersized guard. He'll have the head coach who helped VanVleet develop into a star, Nick Nurse, leading the way in his development with the 76ers. The rookie guard's goal is to learn the ways of “being sneaky, trying to get steals, trying to just get deflections and obviously be a good on-ball defender.”
Working in McCain's favor is that he can learn from a small, thin guard that became an All-Star in just his fourth season. Maxey can set him up for shots while also helping him grow as a shot creator so that he can return the favor. After soaking up all the knowledge he could from James Harden, Maxey is now the mentor to a young up-and-comer.
“Obviously someone being successful in the NBA as quick as he did, I'm gonna try and learn everything I can from him, whether it's the work ethic, how his transition was from college to NBA. I'm gonna try and learn everything I can from him,” McCain said.
McCain is already used to the spotlight after playing for one of college basketball’s most prestigious programs and becoming a viral sensation on social media. Still, officially joining the NBA has him feeling like he’s living a video game.
“I feel like I'm in [NBA 2K], but it's a blessing,” McCain said. “I'm just incredibly blessed to be here.”
Adem Bona eager to flaunt defensive versatility with 76ers
Bona's outstanding mobility and speed at his size made him an appealing prospect. He credits some of that to playing soccer in his youth but he also mentioned the example set by former UCLA teammate Jaylen Clark, who won the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year two seasons ago before departing for the NBA.
“The alertness, how quick he is on his feet to go after balls, I think that kind of helped me be focused and understand how much defense can make an impact in the basketball game,” said Bona, the Pac-12 DPOY from last season. He also won the conference's Rookie of the Year award the prior season.
As an undersized center who doesn’t shoot jump shots or create many shots for himself, Bona is most likely not going to see consistent minutes for the 76ers in his rookie year. Especially if Paul Reed doesn’t get sent elsewhere in a trade, he is surely going to be a mainstay with the G League’s Delaware Blue Coats. Although being a center lends him an easy role as a lob catcher and offensive rebounder — things he does quite well — few 6-foot-9 centers earn a lot of minutes doing just that, even if they do have a wingspan of nearly 7-foot-4 and light feet.
Nonetheless, Bona pledged to always play with intensity when he takes the court. Falling into the second round generally serves as motivation for players. The 21-year-old center, however, is more focused on the fact that he’s a part of a team that has viable championship aspirations. It’s why he's so thrilled to be a Sixer.
“I'm always motivated. I'm always gonna bring the motor,” he said. “I'm gonna bring the energy. I felt like this was the perfect spot for me. This is where I wanted to be. This was part of the plan.”
Morey touted Bona's ability to protect the rim on defense as well as his ability to switch. Centers who can guard multiple positions are valuable players in today's game. Although prototypical pain protectors generally get the job done when they scare off opponents well enough (like Embiid does), being able to constantly keep the ball in front of the defense can be impactful, too. Bona has the long arms and mobility to become a dangerously versatile defender.
Bona's motor propelled him through the college level with power and speed. On a bigger, longer track with the most elite competition trying to take him down, the 76ers rookie is out to prove he can still successfully navigate the race.
“I've felt everything at the same time: happiness, sadness, joy,” the 76ers rookie said of making it to the NBA. “Every emotion hit me at the same time.”
Follow Us
Subscribe