1. Immanuel Quickley, Kentucky
PROJECTED DRAFT RANGE: 30-50
POSITION ON BIG BOARD: N/A
Of the three names on this list, Immanuel Quickley is the least likely to end up in the early 20s. He simply doesn’t have that kind of buzz as a prospect. Even so, his skill set meshes too perfectly with Philadelphia’s current needs to ignore. In a wild and unpredictable year, it’s not impossible for the Sixers to fall in love and shock the world.
Quickley is one of the best shooters on the board. He has a lightning quick release and he buried a sizzling 42.8 percent of his triples as a sophomore. Due to his range and versatility as a shooter, Quickley can slyly manipulate defenders with his footwork and speed.
He is listed as a point guard, but Quickley’s damage is done mostly as a scorer. The Sixers have the playmaking talent to overcome his limitations as a passer, so Philadelphia profiles as one of the better potential landing spots for Quickley. He’s quick enough to dart inside and pressure the rim, and he’s tailor-made for a Joel Embiid two-man game. Quickley could spark to a sleepy Sixers offense.
In addition to his value on offense, Quickley was a stellar defender at Kentucky. He’s only 6-foot-3, and he could stand to add some weight to his 188-pound frame, but a massive 6-foot-10 wingspan allows Quickley to intercept passing lanes and bottle up ball-handlers at the point of attack.
A positive defender and point guard by trade, Quickley is the type of athletic floor-spacer who checks too many boxes for Philadelphia to ignore. If he’s not the pick at 22, at least monitor him as a potential second-round steal.