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 2014 draft looking to find the centerpiece for their rebuild. They needed that superstar player at the top of the draft to build around and they found it in Kansas big man Joel Embiid.
The Sixers selected the big fella No. 3 overall and despite him missing the first two full seasons of his career, Embiid has turned into one of the best players in the league. He made his debut in the 2016-17 season and averaged 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks. He was marvelous in the 31 games he played and finished third in the Rookie of the Year voting.
Since then, Embiid took home the MVP award in 2023 and has made the All-Star team seven times. He has won the scoring title twice and scored a franchise-record 70 points against the San Antonio Spurs in January 2024.
Embiid has dealt with unfortunate injuries throughout his career, but when healthy, there is no doubt about his place in the NBA. Looking back at the pick, it has been the right one and it’s a move the Sixers would likely make again.
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