The Sixer Sense
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Medical Flags Take Center Stage In 2016 NBA Draft

By Bret Stuter

May 17, 2016; New York, NY, USA; General view during the NBA draft lottery at New York Hilton Midtown. The Philadelphia 76ers received the first overall pick in the 2016 draft. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
May 17, 2016; New York, NY, USA; General view during the NBA draft lottery at New York Hilton Midtown. The Philadelphia 76ers received the first overall pick in the 2016 draft. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 31, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Denzel Valentine and Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self pose for a photo with their trophies during a press conference at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 31, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Denzel Valentine and Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self pose for a photo with their trophies during a press conference at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /

Denzel Valentine

Michigan State’s Denzel Valentine is already well recognized in basketball circles, appearing as Basketball Times player of the year.  In fact, this is the fourth such award, joining similar trophies from USA Today, Sports Illustrated and NBC Sports.  Only the Sporting News honored a different player, Oklahoma’s guard Buddy Hield.

It was a good year for Valentine, where he averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game for the season.  His prospects were so promising that he hired Draymond Green‘s agent B.J. Armstrong, the man who helped sign Green to a five year $82 Million deal.

But Houston, we may have a problem.

You see, Denzel Valentine is now reported to have a fairly significant knee issue.  The issue was first reported in December 2015 as a knee injury at Sunday practice which caused him to  miss the next two to three weeks. The senior guard underwent a mild arthroscopic procedure on the knee the next morning.

But while the initial reports stated that the knee surgery was “extremely successful”, the questions about the knee(s) continue to haunt the young mam. While some unnamed league sources said it’s still likely he will get drafted in the first round, but his stock looks to be a tough one to lock in with so many teams believing his knee will be a problem.

Those knee concerns could drop Valentine into a spot late in the first round, which would be where the 76ers would be happy to select him.

Next: Ulis