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Sixers Top 3 NBA Draft Targets – Guard Edition
By Sean Barnard
Published:
The Philadelphia 76ers will be on the clock with the 22nd overall pick in the NBA Draft with a major decision to make. This begins the offseason for the new-look front office and will be a formative decision for the team’s future.
While guard play is not at the top of the list for the Sixers’ needs, taking the best player available should be the mindset, given the level of uncertainty with the organization moving forward. Philadelphia has its starting guard unit of the future in Tyrese Maxey and V.J. Edgecombe. But depth is still necessary alongside and behind this duo, especially given that the pair ranked first and 11th in minutes per game across the regular season and each in the top 18 of the playoffs.
It’s also worth acknowledging that this draft pick was acquired from the decision to trade Jared McCain. But with past feelings on the deal left with Daryl Morey, it’s the current group’s responsibility to make the right call whenever they’re on the clock. Here’s a look at a few guards to keep an eye on in the Sixers’ draft range.
1. Bennett Stirtz
A one-man offensive wrecking crew at Iowa, Bennett Stirtz had one of the largest offensive workrates in all of college basketball last season. The 22-year-old averaged 37.7 minutes per game and posted 19.8 points and 4.4 assists while shooting 35.8% from beyond the three-point arc. Stirtz played the full 40 minutes in 19 of his 37 games and averaged 39.7 minutes the previous season in college. Standing 6-foot-2.5, he started his collegiate career at Northwest Missouri State before transferring to Drake University and finally Iowa last year. He is one of the older prospects in this class, but has an advanced basketball feel and is capable of playing on or off the ball. While the 35.8% three-point percentage is not overly impressive, this can largely be attributed to the lack of offensive creators around him and how difficult it was to generate clean looks. The ceiling is a bit lower due to his age and limited athleticism. But Stirtz will be ready to make a day-one rotational impact wherever he lands, and his versatility on and off the ball creates some exciting options in the flow of offense.
2. Dailyn Swain
Few players changed the way they were viewed from an NBA prospect standpoint the way Dailyn Swain did this season. The 20-year-old spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career at Xavier, where he largely played a defensive-minded role with limited offensive opportunities. He transferred to Texas and was handed the keys to the offense, putting forth averages of 17.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. Standing 6-foot-6.5 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, Swain is a bit of a tweener from a guard and wing perspective. But he is extremely fluid and athletic, and the different identities he showed at the two programs should be viewed positively. The biggest swing skill of the All-SEC team member will be his shooting efficiency. He shot just 34.4% from beyond the three-point arc this season on just 2.6 perimeter shots per game. Swain is excellent when attacking the basket and has impressive body control with the ball in his hands. When it is all clicking for him, he looks like one of the top players in the draft. But his shooting efficiency and consistency have a ways to go before this top-end outcome is realistic. Shooting being the concern has him lower on my personal board than some, but the flashes of strong play he produces are impossible to ignore.
3. Ebuka Okorie
A shifty guard out of Stanford, Ebuka Okorie posted an impressive 23.2 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.6 rebounds across his lone season at Stanford. He shot 35.4% from beyond the three-point arc on 5.7 perimeter shots per game, and is a more inconsistent perimeter shooter than is ideal. But Okorie is capable of getting hot, his change of pace is dangerous, and he does an excellent job of attacking the rim and getting to the free-throw line. He also has had some really encouraging flashes as a playmaker, and could have seen his assist numbers grow had he gotten some more help from his surrounding teammates. Standing 6-foot-1, there are some concerns with Okorie’s level of defensive impact and overall NBA ceiling. But he certainly gives effort on the defensive side of the ball and should not be a guy that opposing teams can circle and attack on an every-play basis. Okorie may end up projecting as an impact guard off the bench, but there is value for this across the NBA and on the Sixers directly.
Honorable Mentions
Richie Saunders- If it were not for a torn ACL that ended his season early, Richie Saunders likely would be viewed as a surefire first-round prospect. A four-year contributor at BYU, he posted averages of 18.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.7 steals per game across his first 25 games before his season came to a premature end. He shot 37.6% from beyond the three-point arc this season, but connected on 43.2% of his perimeter looks last year. Standing a shade under 6-foot-5, Saunders primarily played off-ball, with his greatest skill being relocation instinct, plus off-ball cutting to create shots. He is a high-IQ basketball player with great instincts as a rebounder for his size. There are some physical limitations that will hinder him defensively, and the shot will need to be elite for him to reach his NBA potential. Given the injury issue and athletic concerns, Saunders seems more primed to be a second-round selection. But my bet would be that he outperforms wherever his draft slot is. Side note – Saunders’ great grandfather is credited with inventing the Tater Tot. That is definitely a first-round fry right there.
Meleek Thomas- While Darius Acuff Jr. steals the shine and will hear his name called much sooner in this draft class, there is a lot to like about his backcourt mate Meleek Thomas as well. Standing 6-foot-3, Thomas was asked to play more of an off-ball role in the Arkansas offense, and posted averages of 15.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting 41.6% from beyond the three-point arc. He is one of the best shooters in this overall draft class, with range a few steps beyond the three-point line and some nice flashes of on-ball ability when he was asked to. Thomas competes hard defensively, and there is a pathway to him being a player that can guard up positionally with his near 6-foot-7 wingspan and 8-foot-4 standing reach in mind. The 19-year-old is still developing physically and has a skinny frame that was bothered by contact around the rim. But this should be a problem that fixes itself as he fills out. It is not a great strategy to bet against John Calipari guards throughout the years, and Thomas will be an intriguing name in the late first round or early second to keep an eye on.
Sean Barnard has covered the Philadelphia 76ers and general Philly Sports for over six years in a variety of roles and for multiple outlets. Currently works as a Content Writer for DraftKings Network, Sixers/NBA Insider for Philadelphia's Fox Sports the Gambler, and co-host of Sixers & Phillies Digest on Youtube. Forever Trusting the Process.