The 2013 NBA draft marked a big change for the Philadelphia 76ers. They made a big trade earlier in the night, sending Jrue Holiday to the New Orleans Pelicans so they could select Nerlens Noel at No. 6 and then found a Holiday replacement five picks later.
At No. 11, the Sixers selected a long and lanky point guard out of Syracuse, Michael Carter-Williams. The 6-foot-5 guard put together an impressive NBA debut: 22 points, 12 rebounds, nine steals and seven rebounds in a win over the Miami Heat.
That set the tone for his rookie season. He averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 assists, 6.2 rebounds and 1.9 steals on his way to winning the Rookie of the Year award. It seemed Carter-Williams was going to be the next big star in Sixers history and a foundation piece for the rebuild.
Instead, he was hampered by injuries in his second season and was sent to the Milwaukee Bucks in a deadline deal. The Sixers believed they could find a better option for their future.
Though he helped the Bucks make the playoffs in 2015, he was traded to the Chicago Bulls in the 2016 offseason. After a season in Chicago, he signed with the Charlotte Hornets and then joined the Houston Rockets. He was traded back to the Bulls, who waived him, allowing him to sign with the Orlando Magic for the 2019-20 season. He signed a multi-year deal with them but was waived in February 2022 after missing the entire season due to left ankle surgery.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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