NBA Comparison: Bismack Biyombo

Strengths: Long, athletic shot blocking big who has potential as a defensive anchor … Good timing on the shot block … Very long and has a quick jump …7-3 wingspan combined with a 40 inch max vert are elite numbers … Isn’t the most fluid looking running, but Bona is very fast in a straight line in the open court and does run the break … Ferocious dunker … Has good hands to catch a lob or a bounce pass on a pick and roll into a slam … Aggressive with the ball in his hands … Showed solid improvement in free throw shooting at UCLA (57% as a freshman to 70% last season) … Decent hands around the hoop overall … Shows some semblance of a post game and a quick, fluid, and powerful drop step into a baby hook shot, but likely will need to develop further polish … Sets a decent screen, but sometimes gets impatient and leaves for the role a bit early … Had one of the best standing reach and wingspan measurements at the Draft Combine, especially considering his height …

Weaknesses: Averaging only 26.5 minutes per game, fouled out a staggering 7 times this past season. Also reached 4 fouls 12 times. Needs more discipline on the defensive end … Decent, but not dominant rebounder … Given physical tools, you’d like to see his rebounding numbers a bit bigger… Will likely need to get more aggressive, particularly on the offensive boards … No passing ability has been demonstrated yet… Does not shoot it. Attempted zero three pointers in his college career. Face up mid-range shooting is also fairly non-existent. He has taken a few of these shots in game, and the form looks solid. But at UCLA, he simply wasn’t taking these shots often. Can he develop his shooting? …

Notes: Measured: 6′ 8.25” barefoot, 243.2 lbs, 7′ 3.75” wingspan, 9′ 0.00” standing reach, 35 inch standing vertical, 40 inch max vertical at the 2024 NBA Draft Combine … Earned Pac-12 All-Defensive Team recognition twice… was selected to play in the 2022 McDonald’s All-American Game … also was chosen to the rosters for the 2022 Jordan Brand Classic (in Chicago) … In 2022, represented Turkey at the FIBA U20 Euro Championship and earned recognition as an “All-Star Five”… born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria … the youngest of his five siblings – has two brothers (Obinna, Emeka) and two sisters (Chidinma, Amaka) … grew up playing soccer and began to play basketball at the age of 13 … moved from Nigeria to Turkey at the age of 13 … Measured 7’3.75″ wingspan, 9’0.00″ standing reach, and barefoot height of 6’8.25″ at the 2024 NBA Draft Combine.

Drew Wolin 6/2/24

Strengths: 6’10 athletic big man … Great size and length with a 7’4 wingspan. Big frame and strength level. Aggressive and likes to bang … Very good athlete and great mobility. Finishes above the rim and reliable lob target/finisher. Explosive while absorbing contact – body to body. Good spin move in the paint. Comfortable dunking with either hand … Efficient scorer. Scoring stats: 10.1 PPG 68.1% FG% Grind Session 2020-21, 11.5 PPG 78.4% FG% Nike EYBL 2021, 7.5 PPG 3rd best 70.4% FG% NBPA Top 100 2021, 8.4 PPG 2nd best 66.7% FG% U19 World Cup 2021, 11.1 PPG 70.1% FG% Grind Session 2021-22, 17 PPG 66.2% FG% U20 Euro Championship A 2022 … Quick first step for someone his size. Consistently runs the floor and beats his man up the court … Very tough cover on his aggressive drives. Led the U20 Euro Championship A in free throw attempts with 6.9 per game in 2022 … Passes well out of the post and does a good job not putting up a quick shot after offensive rebounds. Can pass on the move and mid-drive when attacking … Defends the post well and shows some ability to move his feet and defend on the perimeter. Good timing and covers a lot of ground as a shot blocker and contests what he doesn’t get a hand on. Shot blocking stats: 1.4 BPG Grind Session 2020-21, 3.5 BPG Nike EYBL 2021, 4th best 1.2 BPG NBPA Top 100 2021, 1.9 BPG U19 World Cup 2021, 2nd best 2.5 BPG Grind Session 2021-22. 1st 2.4 BPG U20 Euro Championship A 2022 … Very good rebounder on both ends. Consistently boxes his man out. Quick to loose balls. Averaged 11.8 rebounds per game over the Nike EYBL in 2021 and led the U20 Euro Championship A with 10.9 rebounds (4th best 3.4 offensive) per game in 2022 … Alert … Willing screener, dangerous slipping to the basket … Good motor and constantly moving, doesn’t just sit in the post or quit on plays …

Weaknesses: Still raw offensively. Can expand and polish post-game. Needs to work on offensive technique when he doesn’t dunk, especially with his left hand … Can slow down, improve footwork, and minimize travels … Limited scoring range. Shooting form isn’t bad and there’s hope moving forward but he’s not a consistent threat to stretch the floor. Shot 20% 3PT% on 0.5 3PT attempts per game over the Grind Session in 2021-22 …Free throw stroke doesn’t look bad, but results have been poor. Free throw stats: 61.1% FT% Grind Session 2020-21, 36.7% FT% Nike EYBL 2021, 56.3% FT% Grind Session 2021-22 … Older for his class, turned 19 in March before high school graduation …

Outlook: UCLA freshman … 2022 McDonald’s All-American … Named to the 2022 Jordan Brand Classic … Named to the 2022 Nike Hoop Summit … Named to the All-Tournament Team at the U16 Euro Championship A in 2019 and U20 Euro Championship A in 2022 …

Evan Tomes 8/4/22

Notes: Measured 6′ 8.25” barefoot, 9′ 2.50” standing reach, 243.4 lbs and a 7′ 0.25” wingspan at the 2023 NBA Draft Combine … Measured 6′ 8.25” barefoot, 9′ 0.00” standing reach, 243.2 lbs, 7′ 3.75” wingspan, 35 standing vert, 40 max vert at the 2024 NBA Draft Combine …