Why Are NBA Teams Interested?
Bonga was selected with the No. 39 pick in 2018 by the Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers traded Bonga during the summer of 2018 to the Los Angeles Lakers for cash and a 2019 2nd round draft pick (Bruno Fernando). The 6-8 versatile wing appeared in 143 career games for the Lakers, Washington Wizards, and Toronto Raptors from 2018 to 2022. He holds NBA averages of 3.1 points and 2.2 rebounds with shooting splits of 43.2/30.0/75.9.
NBA teams, which can sign international players until the conclusion of the regular season (April 12), are interested in Bonga due to his defensive ability and versatility. He profiles as the type of player NBA teams try to pry from EuroLeague: long, disciplined, low‑mistake, and scalable to playoff basketball.
Bonga, who is long and athletic, is one of the best wing defenders in Europe as he moves extremely well laterally for his size and has excellent anticipation. He is a switchable defender who can guard 1-4.
Offensively, Bonga is more of a connector, though that doesn’t make him a liability. Bonga is at his best when slashing to the rim, excelling at attacking closeouts and running in transition. He also moves the ball quickly and cuts with precision. Perhaps more importantly, he is a winner.
NBA Comp and Strengths and Weaknesses
Shooting and inability to create are Bonga’s biggest weaknesses.
While Bonga is a tier-one player in Europe, he projects more as a low-end tier-two or tier-three NBA player. At best, Bonga is a 15-20-minute defensive specialist in the NBA, and at worst, he is a depth player.
His ideal team switches a lot and values length on the perimeter. Since Bonga is not a creator, the NBA team should have plenty of established creators. Isaac Okoro, Josh Okogie, Naji Marshall, and Royce O’Neale are his current NBA comps.
© Rob Schumacher, Imagn Images
