The Philadelphia 76ers have a bunch of stuff to look forward to in the offseason, but they should especially be occupied by what could await them in the 2026 NBA Draft. Thanks to the otherwise heavily criticized Jared McCain trade, the team will have a first-round pick this year via the Houston Rockets.
Shoring up their depth at center will once again be at the forefront of their priority list in the rookie draft in order to load up on their cushion for Joel Embiid.. In fact, some people already expect the 76ers to take a big man, with one recent mock draft from one of our colleagues, Christopher Kline, projecting them to take Patrick Ngongba II out of Duke University.
Indeed, the 76ers would greatly benefit from adding another infusion of youth at the center position. With Andre Drummond set to hit the open market, the team badly needs another big body who can offer at least some resistance inside the paint on both ends. That is precisely what the Duke product brings to the table.
The 76ers should target Patrick Ngongba II in the 2026 NBA Draft
Staning at 6'11" and weighing 250 pounds, Ngongba is a physically imposing presence down low who combines finesse with brute force. While he is more of a traditional big man in that he cannot space the floor or create his own shot, he is a workable asset to have on the offensive end due to his passing instincts.
On the defensive end, his body of work revolves around his steady rim deterrence and reliable rebounding. Those are highly important skills the 76ers do not have on a consistent basis with their current big men behind Embiid, so Ngongba automatically becomes all the more enticing for Philly's brain trust.
While Embiid is still at the peak of his powers, the 76ers cannot possibly deem it sustainable to keep relying on him as much as they have this season. His body can no longer keep up with the conventional load of a superstar, which makes it imperative for the front office to not shy away from acquiring big men who can make life easier for the former MVP and the team at large.
Of course, the 76ers have no full control on who will be available for them when they are on the clock. But if he is available, Patrick Ngongba II deserves major consideration as his fit with this team is close to being unassailable.