Tony Bradley has been the forgotten man thanks to all the other additions the Sixers have made this season. While Danny Green, Seth Curry, and Tyrese Maxey are fantastic additions, Tony Bradley shouldn’t go overlooked.
The fourth-year center out of North Carolina has the opportunity to become a staple of the team’s bench for years to come so Sixers’ fans should pay attention when he plays.
Earlier today, Bradley discussed his goals for the upcoming season, his initial impressions of Joel Embiid, and his offensive development.
Bradley opened up talking about his individual goals. He summed that up with three ideas: learn, grow, play hard. Speaking more on that last point, he went on to put a focus on what he does best; “play hard, play with a high motor, and play with a lot of energy”.
Individual workouts have been going great according to Bradley. He mentioned he’s been paired up with Joel Embiid and that while Embiid’s difficult to guard, he feels that he’s learning every day.
Bradley had high praise for the Sixers’ star saying that he is “one of the best bigs in the league”. This was his first chance to play up close and personal against Embiid for an extended period of time.
He mentioned that Embiid’s sheer size and strength surprised him but that he was looking forward to guarding him and being apart of his team.
While he hasn’t worked out with Dwight Howard yet, Bradley said that the veteran has been “been around a lot”. He also stated that Howard has been giving him tips to improve.
I had the opportunity to ask him what he was working on offensively during this short offseason. He replied saying:
“…This offseason I’ve been working on getting a lot of three-pointers up, different footwork thing, different combos coming off pick-and-roll action…mid-range shots…especially defensively a lot of footwork”.
When asked if he would attempt more threes this season, Bradley said it wouldn’t be a focus. It makes sense considering defense is his bread-and-butter. He did however say:
“…If the chances come up I wouldn’t mind shooting it…If I so happen to catch it out and I’m open, I’ma let it fly”.
Between Joel Embiid and Dwight Howard, Bradley may not be at the forefront of fans’ minds. There’s reason to be excited about Bradley, while he likely won’t see too many minutes, he’ll have a chance to show flashes.
Those flashes may be enough to solidify him as Joel Embiid‘s long-term backup. His defensive mindset mixed with his youth and potential to space the floor make him an interesting player off the bench for the Sixers. He is certainly a player to keep an eye on this season.
Photo by Ringo Chiu/Zuma Press/Icon Sportswire
