With the 76ers on the verge of breaking the NBA’s record for longest consecutive losses, the NBA draft is beginning to finally settle. Before the season began, the belief was that the Sixers were setting themselves up for a shot at prized prospect Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins, who was unable to match his astronomically high expectations, Wiggins did show that his athleticism and ability to take over games is something worth coveting. But while the Sixers continue to be one of the worst teams in the league (possible worst team of all-time consideration), it is no guarantee they will secure enough ping pong balls to nab the Kansas product.
And here lies the biggest strength of this year’s draft. Assuming all big-name players come out as expected, if the 76ers miss out on Wiggins they would still have a chance at high-impact players like Joel Embiid who many scouts compare to a young Hakeem Olajuwon. While the team is committed to the development on rookie center Nerlens Noel, the chance to grab Embiid and install a sort of “Twin Towers” style duo with he and Noel reminiscent of the Duncan/Robinson pairing in San Antonio is an interesting thought.
Duke’s Jabari Parker and Kentucky’s Julius Randle will also be available. Parker, the better scorer of the two, would provide the Sixers something they haven’t had all season. A dominant outside shooter. Parker is compared to Carmelo Anthony in terms of scoring potential but lacks the defensive ability to be a two-way player. Meanwhile, Randle has his Kentucky Wildcats still alive in the Sweet 16 thanks to his defensive impact as well as his non-stop motor on offense. Both players are a bit of “tweeners” as they lack the ideal size for their positions but offer rare skills and ability that many players, especially at 19 years old, cannot.
While there is a slight drop off in talent outside of the first 4-5 picks, the beauty of this draft is that the talent available in the middle of the first round is equivalent to lower first-round talent. With multiple picks and the losses piling up, the Sixers have no promises that they will get their man in Wiggins, but the talented players available after him would still make this wash of a season, somewhat worth it. The 2014 NBA draft will be held Thursday, June 26.
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