Kentucky, 5th seed
This should be a no-brainer, as Kentucky almost always features a handful of relevant NBA talents. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has come on strong as of late, while Kevin Knox remains a conesnsus lottery talent. Both are players the Sixers could consider using the Lakers pick on.
Gilgeous-Alexander was SEC Tournament MVP, helping the Wildcats find their next gear after struggling at times this season. His crafty finishing, playmaking skills, and physical tools make him the kind of comboguard that could find a nice niche in the Sixers’ rotation.
Knox is one of the more raw prospects in the lottery discussion, but the appeal is obvious. He’s shooting around 35 percent from deep and has shown he’s capable of scoring off the ball. Add in his defensive versatility, and there’s a lot to work with at 19 years old.
Jarred Vanderbilt is also an under-the-radar talent with first round upside, while P.J. Washington, Nick Richards, Quade Green, Wenyen Gabriel and Sacha Killeya-Jones could all have NBA futures at some point down the line. Hamidou Diallo is another guy fighting for first round respect, although he might have fallen out of that range with his lackluster play this season.