2013
Pierre Jackson (42)
If you are not familiar with point guard Pierre “Pappy Gawd” Jackson, you are one of the sleeping multitude who missed one of the most popular guys never to play for the Philadelphia 76ers in the regular season. Drafted in 2013, he was a 5’10” 180 pound point guard who had a good eye for moving the ball, and a deceptive burst that would launch him towards the hoop before larger bodies could converge and defend. But he was not a Sixer for long, as he was packaged with Jrue Holiday to the New Orleans Pelicans for Nerlens Noel.
In fact, there was a hope that he might end up as the starting point guard for the Philadelphia 76ers; not once, but twice in his yet to get started professional career. The first opportunity ended tragically when he ruptured his Achilles tendon while playing in the Orlando Summer League. From that point, he was forced to rehab for an entire year, which he did publically by video taping his workouts in a series of #THEYSLEEP
He returned to the Philadelphia 76er discussion once more when he signed a four year deal and returned to the team. Once more he had the hopes of the fans raised in the belief that he would make the roster. Once more, the injury bug struck , this time in the pre-season as the Philadelphia 76ers were whittling six point guard prospects down to just two. Isaiah Canaan and undrafted T.J. McConnell surived. Pierre Jackson did not. Jackson has since signed with the D-League team, the Idaho Stampede.
Glenn Rice Jr. (35)
Small forward Glenn Rice Jr. was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers and was immediately traded to the Washington Wizards for two second round picks – numbers 38 and 54. Rice would play with the Washington Wizards in a backup role, playing in 11 games in the 2013-2014 season and just 5 games in the 2014-2015 season. He was waived by the team on January 5, 2015. He has since signed on with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.
The actual draft by the Philadelphia 76ers was much more complicated than a simple “two players drafted” portrays. With the Sixers trading Jrue Holiday (and 42nd pick Pierre Jackson) to New Orleans for Nerlens Noel, there were a cascading series of trades on that evening. Philadelphia used the 35th pick on Glen Rice Jr., and then immediately traded him to the Washington Wizards for the 38th and 54th overall picks.
But then here is where it gets very exciting.
Then at 38, they selected Nate Wolters from South Dakota State.
They then decided to trade him to the Milwaukee Bucks for the rights to guard Ricky Ledo from Providence, and a second round pick in 2014.
Sixers then traded Ledo to the Dallas Mavericks for a 2014 second round pick.
Philadelphia picked Arsalan Kazemi from Oregon at pick number 54. Kazemi is an interesting story, as he is the first Iranian to ever be drafted in the NBA. When the smoke cleared, the Sixers netted Nerlens Noel, Michael Carter-Williams, Arsalan Kazemi, a 2014 1st round pick from New Orleans, a 2014 2nd round pick from Milwaukee and possibly one more from Dallas. Of the group, only Arsalan Kazemi, chosed at 54 by the Washington Wizards pick, remained on the team from that round.
The Sam Hinkie Era had officially begun. NBA draft news agencies were now officially placed on notice to ramp up their coverage.
Next: 2014