After being drafted 36th overall in the 2017 NBA draft, Jonah Bolden thought he was ready, both physically and mentally for the NBA.
In all truthfulness, he probably was – but the Philadelphia 76ers had other ideas. A lack of room on the 15-man roster heading into the 2017/18 season, meant Bolden had to delay his NBA debut, and ply his trade overseas. And so it came to be that the 6’10” forward packed his bags for Israel, after powerhouse team Maccabi Tel Aviv acquired his services from Philly.
Bolden was impressive in Israel. His athleticism and motor stood out for someone his size, and he was able to give every indication that he was NBA-ready. Bolden averaged 7.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists across 29 appearances for Maccabi Tel-Aviv, in 21.1 minutes per contest.
Though he may not have initially wanted to head overseas, he now looks back on that time in Israel as an overwhelming positive. It was a chance to hone his craft and create new experiences he likely would have never had otherwise.
Read the article by Kane Pitman in The Pick and Roll.