Yahoo Sports NBA draft analyst Krysten Peek paired former Duke basketball stars [autotag]Jared McCain[/autotag] and [autotag]Kyle Filipowski[/autotag] with two Eastern Conference powerhouses in her latest mock draft on Tuesday.
Peek slotted McCain to the Philadelphia 76ers with the 16th pick before giving Filipowski to the New York Knicks at 24th overall.
Both teams made the playoffs this year, actually facing off in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. The 76ers, led by 2022-23 MVP Joel Embiid, fell to Jalen Brunson and the Knicks in six games.
Peek praised McCain for his 3-point prowess (41.4% 3-point shooter as a freshman last season), and the pairing with the 7-foot Embiid would create nightmarish floor-spacing problems for Sixers opponents.
Filipowski, the All-American 7-footer who averaged 2.8 assists and shot 34.8% from three last year, would help the Knicks replace center Isaiah Hartenstein, who hits free agency this offseason. Hartenstein may yet stick with the Knicks, but his defensive play and rebounding presence make him one of the top options on the market.