Orlando Magic star Franz Wagner believes his teammate on the German national team and former Lakers forward Isaac Bonga deserves the chance to return to the NBA because of his defense and ability to make 3-pointers.
Germany advanced to the EuroBasket 2025 final, and Isaac Bonga played a significant role in it.
The 25-year-old Bonga played a solid defensive game against Finland and its star Lauri Markkanen in the semifinals, finishing the matchup with 10 points (4/7 FG, 2/4 3PT), 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block.
Former Laker Isaac Bonga Deserves NBA Return, Says Franz Wagner
It wasn't the first time Bonga did a good job defensively on Markkanen, and Germany's star Franz Wagner believes the former Los Angeles Lakers wing deserves another shot in the NBA.
"Yes, I do believe it, actually," Wagner said after the game. "I think he's shown for a couple of years now that he's an elite defender, shoots the three really well, and can make some plays off the bounce too. So I think he could have a lot of teams interested in him."
Credit FIBA
However, Bonga himself wasn't so straightforward about his return to the NBA.
"I think it's not really something I'm thinking right now," Bonga admitted. "I'm more focused on making sure we win in the finals."
Isaac Bonga Was on NBA Teams' Radar This Summer
Despite recently signing a contract extension with Partizan Belgrade through 2027, the 25-year-old German forward remains eligible for an NBA move due to an exit clause included in the deal.
Bonga's Solid EuroBasket performance against Lauri Markkanen
Markkanen finished the semifinal with 16 points (6/17 FG, 2/9 3PT, 2/3 FT), 8 rebounds, and 1 assist.
The Utah Jazz star averaged 24.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game before Friday's matchup.
Markkanen also struggled against Germany during the first meeting in the group stage, with Bonga being his primary defender.
On September 3, the Finnish star was contained to 11 points (4/15 FG, 0/5 3PT, 3/3 FT) and 9 rebounds.
After this game, Bonga even made a vivid statement.
"When he goes home, I hope he has nightmares about me. And I hope that when he dreams, he dreams of me," Bonga told Magenta Sport, referring to Markkanen.
Who is Isaac Bonga?
Bonga was the 39th NBA pick in the 2018 Draft, selected by the Lakers. In his four seasons in the NBA, the German international played for the Lakers, Washington Wizards, and Toronto Raptors.
In his rookie season, Bonga averaged 5.5 minutes, 0.9 points, and 1.1 rebounds per game in 22 appearances.
His best season was in the 2019-20 campaign, in which he averaged 18.9 minutes, 5.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game in 66 appearances for the Wizards.
Bonga's NBA career averages are 3.1 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game in 143 appearances.
After an unsuccessful stint in the NBA, Bonga made his return to Europe, joining the EuroLeague side Bayern Munich before moving to Partizan Belgrade ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.
Bonga had his breakout season in Partizan, averaging 25 minutes, 9.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game in 30 EuroLeague appearances, establishing himself as a solid two-way player.
Edvinas Jablonskis
Edvinas Jablonskis began his basketball coverage career in 2017. Starting as a Daily Writer for BasketNews.lt, he steadily climbed the ranks and became a Daily Editor for BasketNews.com in 2021, a position he continues to hold. Over the years, Jablonskis has covered multiple EuroLeague Final Fours and international tournaments, including the FIBA EuroBasket, FIBA Basketball World Cup, and FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
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