With 13 games left in the regular season, the Philadelphia 76ers (23-46) dwell in 13th place in the Eastern Conference. As Philadelphia continues to tank, fans haven’t had much to root for. However, with March Madness starting today, they can get excited about the prospects the 76ers could potentially select in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft.
As a reminder, Philadelphia’s 2025 first-round pick is protected if it lands between selections one to six, but if it falls anywhere outside of that range, it will go to the Oklahoma City Thunder as a part of a trade that was made in November 2020. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to gauge Philadelphia’s hypothetical options if the ping pong balls fell the right way.
Heading into the upcoming draft, Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, and Dylan Harper are the unanimous top three prospects. If the 76ers land a top-three pick, selecting one of those three is a no-brainer. However, I’d like to enlighten fans about the other top prospects that should be on Philadelphia’s radar if those three talents are out of reach.
Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionis
First-year Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionis is widely labeled as one of the best guards in the upcoming draft. He’s averaging 15 points per game on 44.8% shooting from the field, 5.6 rebounds per game, and 4.6 assists per game on the season. Jakucionis was named on the All-Big Ten Team as well as the Big Ten All-Freshman Team.
At 6’ 6 and 205 pounds, Jakucionis is most effective as a ball-handler who thrives off pick-and-rolls. He responds to a variety of coverages by being a capable three-level scorer or creating advantages for his teammates using the defensive attention he warrants. Still, Jakucionis often lacks burst when attacking off the dribble and his shooting will need to improve for his scoring variety to translate to the NBA.
Philadelphia has an elite group of guards between Tyrese Maxey, Quentin Grimes, and Jared McCain, but it still lacks a viable traditional point guard who can properly run the offense, which proved to be an issue for a significant portion of this season. Perhaps Jakucionis could fit that bill.
Duke center Khaman Maluach
In his freshman season, Duke center Khaman Maluach has emerged as one of the most formidable two-way centers in the NCAA. This season, he’s averaging 8.3 points per game on 69.3% shooting from the field, 6.8 rebounds per game, and 1.2 blocks per game. Khaman received a spot on both the All-ACC Tournament Team and the ACC All-Freshman Team.
While at 7’ 2 and 250 pounds, he's viewed as more of a project. Maluach is a prototypical center who can do damage as a roll-man and protect the rim, but he has also shown flashes of being able to stretch the floor. Maluach’s defensive talents are a huge reason why Duke ranks fourth amongst Division One programs in defensive rating.
Needless to say, the 76ers are in no need of a starting caliber center with Joel Embiid hopefully returning to form next season. However, between Maluach and Adem Bona, the two could help Philadelphia remain competitive when Embiid inevitably load-manages games. This would also give the 76ers insurance when Embiid decideds to retire.
Georgia forward Asa Newell
First-year Georgia forward Asa Newell has cemented himself as one of the best forwards destined to enter the upcoming draft. Listed at 6’ 11 and 220 pounds, Newell is producing 15.3 points per game on 54.1% shooting from the field and 6.8 rebounds per game this season. He was also named to the SEC All-Freshman Team.
What stands out the most about Newell’s game is his quickness and athleticism that enables him to be effective in transition as a lob threat. Newell can also be dynamic in pick-and-rolls as he can roll to the rim, fade to the mid-range, and make the extra pass. He possesses formidable defensive chops – being a capable rim protector and able to hold his own when switched off screens.
Philadelphia is in great need of power forward depth as Guerschon Yabusele is the only true four-man on the roster. Newell would promptly fill that void and his athleticism would add an interesting dynamic to the 76ers’ rotation, Still, his floor spacing is his biggest area in need of growth, which would likely prevent him from contributing right away.
On May 12th, the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery will decide the 76ers’ fate as well as determine if their tanking efforts were for nothing. If Philadelphia regains its first-round pick, I’ll provide more prospects at a later date.