76ers select Jonah Bolden with No. 36 pick
With the 36th overall pick in Thursday's NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers selected power forward Jonah Bolden.
Following an underwhelming stint at UCLA, the 21-year-old headed overseas to Serbia's Adriatic League, where he stuffed the stat sheet with 12.9 points, 7.2 boards, 1.8 assists, a block, and a steal per game.
At 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot-3 wingspan, Bolden is streaky shooting stretch-four who sinks 41.9 percent of his 3-point attempts. When picked up on the perimeter, he leans on his speed and body control to blow by defenders and finish at the hoop. He demonstrates good ball-handling skills and court vision, allowing him to create shot opportunities for himself and teammates.
At the other end, the athletic Aussie has the potential to be extremely versatile. He has the size and reach to protect the rim, as well as quick feet to stay in front of guards on switches and bother them with his length.
In order to be successful in the big leagues, the combo forward will need to become stronger and tougher. He has a thin, weak build and shies away from contact. Although he can make some incredible passes, he's been guilty of throwing the ball away with some head-scratchers, and thus must work on his decision-making.
Like his new Sixers teammate Dario Saric in 2014, Bolden is the reigning ABA League Top Prospect.