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5 Draft Prospects the Sixers Should Consider in the 2026 NBA Draft

Philadelphia has a chance to upgrade at any position come June 23.
Jacob Moreno|
Mar 21, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; Texas Longhorns forward Dailyn Swain (3) dunks against the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the first half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images
Mar 21, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; Texas Longhorns forward Dailyn Swain (3) dunks against the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the first half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

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Philadelphia 76ers

Mike Gansey made a necessary sacrifice.

The Sixers' new president of basketball operations jinxed Phillies pitcher Jesús Lazardo’s potential no-hitter while on the air during their game against the Miami Marlins on June 16.

But he might have just been releasing any bad vibes before the 2026 NBA draft begins at 8 p.m ET on Tuesday.

Gansey and company face an offseason focused on forging a reliable supporting cast around the Sixers’ core, so they will need all the fortune they can muster. It starts with the draft, where they hold the 22nd overall pick.

This year’s class is littered with talent that extends beyond the lottery range. Here are the five best players whom the Sixers could realistically select:

1. Dailyn Swain (G/F - Texas)

The Sixers haven’t had a wing who can reliably generate paint touches since Jimmy Butler in 2018-19. It's time for them to change that.

Swain, at 6'6" and 211 pounds, is one of the fiercest slashers in this class. He averaged 17.3 points on 54.2% shooting from the field, 7.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals at Texas this season.

Swain's blend of physicality and penetration would add an element to Philadelphia’s offense that it has seldom had during the Joel Embiid era.

The sticking point is Swain’s jump shot. He connected on only 34.4% of his 2.6 three-point attempts per game this past season. His highly touted driving skills could be negated if teams play drop coverage against him or leave him open off the ball.

Swain's shooting is a swing factor that makes him a polarizing prospect. But if he can be at least a league-average shooter, the Sixers could have a Jalen Williams-esque player on their hands.

He also possesses the tools to be a quality defensive playmaker, which should further appeal to the Sixers.

2. Labaron Philon Jr. (G - Alabama)

If you groaned at the idea of the Sixers selecting another small guard, it’s understandable. But the draft is sometimes as simple as taking the best player available.

Philon could be just that at No. 22 overall.

He anchored Alabama’s offense, averaging 22.0 points on 62.6% true shooting, five assists and 3.5 boards at 6'2". His stature is a concern on both ends of the court, as he may struggle to hold up defending the point of attack or being effective at the rim. The biggest thing for Philon is putting on more weight.

Despite concerns about his frame, Philon has legitimate shot-creation potential. He's a twitchy guard who can score at three levels and force defenses to react, yielding free-throw opportunities or advantages for others.

The Sixers need creators off the bench, and Philon may have the runway to become that in year one.

While the San Antonio Spurs ultimately fell short against the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals, they proved that having three high-level ball-handling guards can drive major success.

3. Allen Graves (F - Santa Clara)

Graves does so many things that would complement Philadelphia on both sides of the ball. We just don’t know if or how it will all translate to the NBA.

Graves is a high-IQ forward who tallied 11.8 points on 61.3% true-shooting, 6.5 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game at Santa Clara. He can keep an offense in motion with his connective passing and stretch a defense with stellar spot-up talent at power forward. Graves is a quality rebounder as well.

The 6'7", 227-pound prospect knows where to be all around. At his ceiling, he’d be one of the best role players in the league. But reaching his potential may not be easy.

Graves is a limited athlete who came off the bench in a weaker conference, meaning his production won’t translate as easily.

Philadelphia needs more athleticism at all positions, but Graves does a lot of other stuff well, to the point where the Sixers should still be interested. Graves perhaps has the lowest ceiling but the highest floor out of the players listed thus far.

4. Chris Cenac Jr. (F/C - Houston)

This is where it gets tricky. Unlike Graves, Cenac does have sound mobility—he just doesn’t necessarily know what he is yet.

Cenac registered 9.5 points on 48.5% shooting from the field and 7.9 rebounds at Houston this past season. He has the making of a solid defender, with switchability, help instincts and a 6'10", 239-pound frame. Not to mention, he's a powerhouse off the glass, having averaged 2.2 offensive boards.

The one-and-done has a lot of traits that Philadelphia would want in a backup center, but it’s the other end of the floor that warrants concern. He shot just 33.3% from deep, with a poor shot diet being a factor. His game is perimeter-based without a reliable repertoire, which won’t translate to the NBA in the first years of his career.

Cenac would have the chance to learn from one of the most creative scoring centers in Joel Embiid if he did land in Philly. The Houston product is a project who likely won’t have as immediate an impact as other players in this draft range, but in a few years, he could be quite a unique center.

5. Isaiah Evans (G/F - Duke)

It would be kind of poetic if Gansey’s first decision as team president was to select a three-point specialist out of Duke.

Evans’ skill set is simple but projectable. The 6'5" guard is a lethal shooter, whether he is letting it fly off movement or by spotting up. Evans notched 15 points on 36.1% shooting from downtown, which was on 6.1 attempts.

He can also attack closeouts, but he's otherwise limited offensively. The former Blue Devil also must put on more size to hang defensively, and he sometimes gets tunnel vision with the ball.

Still, the Sixers strongly need more shooting. At a baseline level, Evans provides just that.

The reason Evans is fifth here is that many guards with higher ceilings could be available as well. Potential free agents and trade acquisitions can offer something similar, too.

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Jacob Moreno
JACOB MORENO

Jacob Moreno is a Sports Media major at Temple University who aspires to become a 76ers beat writer. He previously contributed to The Sixer Sense and also covers Temple Athletics for The Temple News. He is a huge Marvel nerd and falls victim to expensive Lego sets.

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