The Sixer Sense
Fansided

Why the Philadelphia 76ers won the NBA Draft

By Christopher Kline

Jun 24, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers number one overall draft pick Ben Simmons (R) and President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo (M) and number twenty-fourth overall draft pick Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (L) during an introduction press conference at the Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 24, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers number one overall draft pick Ben Simmons (R) and President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo (M) and number twenty-fourth overall draft pick Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (L) during an introduction press conference at the Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 15, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers flight crew member waves a large 76ers flag at center court during a timeout against the Miami Heat at Wells Fargo Center. The Heat won 105-101. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

Furkan Korkmaz

As possibly the most overlooked selection out of the trio, the Sixers quickly flipped their 26th pick for the most talked about foreign talent outside of Dragan Bender in Furkan Korkmaz. The Turkish sharpshooter wasn’t the quick point guard fix that many saw the Sixers jumping on, but gives them a skilled athlete with nice touch from beyond the arc that could help them fix a number of other problems they have in the rotation from the two spot.

First and foremost, for those who are unhappy with Nik Stauskas, Korkmaz is an undeniable upgrade. He brings what will likely be a more consistent shooting stroke from deep, alongside excellent athletic tools that allow him to attack off the dribble and create his own offense at a rate we haven’t seen from Stauskas.

Korkmaz gives the Sixers someone to run off of screens on the perimeter and play the part of off-ball marksman they’ve been missing, while also providing a level of isolation scoring prowess that has been drastically undercovered in the pre-draft discussions he was involved in. He’s 6’8’’, making him very rangy for someone playing the two-guard, and could feasibly be worked in at the other wing spot in the rotation when called upon as his body fills out and he adds some more bulk. He has some noteworthy weaknesses on the defensive end, but is far from hopeless on that side of the ball. His length and quickness could definitely be an asset in time, and gives Brett Brown a solid offensive fix that he could mold into Philadelphia’s system and culture. In terms of an NBA comparison, I can see a lot of connections here with Mario Hezonja, who went fifth in last year’s draft. This is excellent value from Philly’s perspective.

Next: A Victory At Last