Fit with the Sixers
Could the Philadelphia 76ers use the high school and international play version of Mannion? Absolutely!
The guy who played at Arizona? Uh… not so fast.
Draft experts are just as puzzled on what kind of player Mannion will become. ESPN has him No. 20 in their Top 100, our big board has him at No. 25, but NBA Draft Room drops him to the second round at No. 39.
If high school players could go straight to the draft, Mannion would have been a lock to be a lottery pick last year. However, after a year of going against older players, now there are some doubts. High school phenoms do not always translate to the NBA.
The 76ers are moving more and more away from Ben Simmons being the lead point guard. If they could find a heady point guard who can shoot, pass and play at least average defense, they would certainly look seriously at him.
If the 76ers brass feel his freshman year at Arizona was just part of his learning process, Mannion could be that player.