The Philadelphia 76ers will pick 21st in the 2020 NBA Draft.
Last night, the lottery order for the 2020 NBA Draft was officially set. The Minnesota Timberwolves will pick No. 1, followed in order by Golden State, Charlotte, and Chicago rounding out the top four. The Philadelphia 76ers — who did not participate in the lottery — will own the No. 21 pick.
In the past few months, we have compiled mock draft round-ups here at The Sixer Sense. The goal, simply, to see who the experts have Philadelphia selecting in the first round. With the Sixers’ draft position now concrete, a wave of new mock drafts has invaded the internet.
The consensus is that Philadelphia needs (and will likely target) a guard. This is a draft class heavy on guard talent — especially point guard talent — and Sixers, though pleased by Shake Milton’s development, still need major help in the backcourt.
Here’s who the experts have them picking.
Jonathan Givony, ESPN: Nico Mannion, Arizona
A favorite target of Philadelphia in many mocks past, Nico Mannion is a name to watch. He was once hailed as a top-10 prospect, and his basketball I.Q. is advanced well beyond most 19-year-olds. There are valid concerns about his athleticism, but he’s a talented shooter who can play off-ball. Philadelphia is mostly well-equipped to cover for his limited burst.
Brad Rowland, Uproxx: Tyrell Terry, Stanford
To date, a large volume of reputable draft sites have pegged Tyrell Terry as a second-round prospect. However, I’ve considered him a borderline lottery talent for some time now, and it appears more and more people are starting to come around. He’s a deadeye shooter and a capable point guard — a nearly perfect on-paper fit in Philadelphia. If anyone should “gamble” on Terry’s upside, it’s the Sixers.
Jonathan Wasserman, Bleacher Report: Tyrell Terry, Stanford
This is perhaps the ideal outcome for Philadelphia at 21. Terry has deep range on his jumper, is comfortable shooting on the move or pulling up, and is capable of running point guard next to Ben Simmons. He would find immediate success in two-man actions involving Joel Embiid, and his small frame — 6-foot-2, 160 pounds — could be effectively masked by Philadelphia’s overwhelming size on defense.
Ian Levy, FanSided: Tyrell Terry, Stanford
And a pattern emerges.
Tommy Beer, Forbes: Tyrell Terry, Stanford
This is a very promising trend. The Sixers should have Terry circled in black sharpie.
Tankathon: Tyrell Terry, Stanford
Yep.
Jeremy Woo, Sports Illustrated: Leandro Bolmaro, Barcelona
This is an… interesting pick. As someone who fancies myself a bit of a Bolmaro fan, I’m not sure I see the appeal for Philadelphia. He’s a naturally talented 6-foot-7 wing with upside as a playmaker, but his biggest red flag at the moment is shooting. The Sixers should target a prospect who can reliably space the floor in year one. There is also a non-zero chance Bolmaro is stashed in Europe. The Sixers’ bench needs reinforcements as soon as possible. That said, Woo’s pick is premised on the idea that Philadelphia might consider a trade.
Kyle Boone, CBS Sports: Grant Riller, Charleston
Most boards have Grant Riller pegged as a second-round talent, but it’s not hard to see the fit here. Riller is a twitchy, high-octane scorer on the perimeter who can step into the rotation and give you buckets. He was one of college basketball’s most prolific individual scorers last season, and Philadelphia has a readily apparent need for scorers off the bench — especially if Alec Burks leaves in free agency.
You can read our most recent big board here — with breakdowns of the top-50 prospects in the 2020 NBA Draft class.