With the 2024 NBA draft approaching quickly–Round 1 of the draft is set for June 26–now is the time to look back at some of the previous draft picks the Philadelphia 76ers have made in recent years.
The Sixers entered the 2018 draft in a fantastic position. After making a playoff run in the 2017-18 season led by Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, they held the No. 10 pick in the draft with the chance to add another top talent.
With that selection, the Sixers picked Mikal Bridges out of Villanova. However, they flipped him to the Phoenix Suns for the No. 16 pick which they then used on Zhaire Smith from Texas Tech. It was a surprising move when considering Bridges’ skill set fit like a glove with Embiid and Simmons and that he was a local product.
Smith suffered an unfortunate allergic reaction in his rookie season which limited him to just six games played and then he played just seven games in his second season before he was sent to the Detroit Pistons in the 2020 offseason.
With just 13 career games under his belt, Smith is currently working on getting back into the NBA. He most recently signed a 10-day deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers in February of 2024.
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