Philadelphia 76ers NBA Draft picks from last five years: Where are they now?
Philadelphia 76ers’ 2015 NBA Draft Class
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Jahlil Okafor, No. 3 overall
The Philadelphia 76ers surprised the entire league when they selected Jahlil Okafor with the third overall pick in 2015. At that point, they had Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid, so the NCAA Championship-winning center was the last thing they needed.
Okafor did not fit with the Sixers, and it’s still unclear as to whether or not he belongs in the NBA. He had a decent rookie year: he posted averages of 17.5 points and seven boards, but his lack of athleticism, defensive ability, and mobility make him obsolete in today’s NBA.
The Sixers dealt him to Brooklyn in the middle of the season last year, and he averaged just 12.6 minutes per game. He signed with the New Orleans Pelicans this offseason which could help them replace Golden State-bound Demarcus Cousins.
Willy Hernangomez, No. 35 overall
Hernangomez never appeared in a game for the 76ers. The team acquired this pick in the Elfrid Payton-Dario Saric deal, but Hinkie quickly shipped him to the New York Knicks for two second-round picks, one in 2020 and the other in 2021.
The Spanish big man made the All-Rookie First Team at the end of the 2016-17 season with averages of 8.2 points, seven boards, and 1.3 assists in a season where Malcolm Brogdon won the Rookie of the Year (somehow) and the top overall pick (Ben Simmons) missed the entire season.
The Knicks traded him to the Charlotte Hornets in the middle of last season, and he saw a slight increase in playing time as a result, going from playing nine minutes per game at the Garden to 11.9 in North Carolina.
Richaun Holmes, No. 37 overall
Rich Homie Chaun had a few flashes of decent play during his three years as a Sixer. Those flashes mainly came in the form of electrifying dunks and blocks, but that’s about the extent of his skill set. Granted, he did last longer in Philly than 2014 sixth overall pick Nerlens Noel, who has a style of play nearly identical to Holmes.
In July, Philly traded him to Phoenix for $1 million. The Bowling Green product averaged 6.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks in 15.5 minutes per game this past season, and in his tenure in Philly, he averaged 7.4, 4.2, and 0.8 in those respective categories.
Arturas Gudaitis, No. 47 overall
Gudaitis was part of the infamous trade that played an integral role in helping the Sixers get to where they are today. Vlade Divac reportedly wanted Gudaitis badly, which is a big reason why the Kings agreed to the deal. Gudaitis still has not played in an NBA game, and Sacramento recently traded his rights to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team deal that saw the Cavs acquire Rodney Hood and George Hill from the Jazz.
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Gudaitis played three games in the 2016 Las Vegas Summer League, and he averaged an efficient four points on two shots per game, playing for an average of 10 minutes per game. He has not come any closer to legitimate NBA action since then, but he has applied his trade as a reliable role player for Emporio Armani Milano in Italy, averaging over 10 points on over 60 percent shooting in both Lega A, Italy’s domestic league, and the Euroleague.
J.P. Tokoto, No. 58 overall
Fans remember Tokoto as the bouncy wing who could defend and dunk well for the University of North Carolina, and fans were excited to see the Philadelphia 76ers draft a familiar name so late in the second round. He never appeared in an NBA game and just signed for Hapoel Eliat in Israel after a successful year with the Perth Wildcats in Australia.
The former Tar Heel has played in the last few NBA Summer Leagues, but he has seized those opportunities to the best of his ability. As a 24-year-old, he averaged seven points, 4.6 boards, and 1.4 assists for the Warriors’ team in Las Vegas. Last season, he scored the second-most points per game among his teammates, averaging 15.3 points along with 5.9 rebounds and three assists.
Luka Mitrovic, No. 60 overall
Mitrovic never stepped foot on an NBA court, but he played a major role in arguably the biggest fleecing in league history. In his finest move, Hinkie dealt the rights to the Serbian forward to the Sacramento Kings in return for a king’s ransom that still plagues the Kings to this day.
The Serbian has had a fruitful career in Europe: with Red Star Belgrade, he won three straight Adriatic League titles while starting most of the time. He also earned a Serbian Cup MVP award in 2015. Last year, he played for Brose Bramburg in Germany, but they parted ways at the end of the season, making Mitrovic a free agent.