2021 NBA Mock Draft: Sixers Pick up Auburn's Sharife Cooper at 28

The 2021 NBA Draft is less than two weeks away. While a lot can change over time, the Philadelphia 76ers remain pat at selection No. 28 in the first round. Last month, Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey wouldn't rule out trading up, back, or even out of the first round entirely.

But without any deals worth making coming across his desk right now, the Sixers intend to select a brand new prospect late in the first round. As the big event inches closer, mock drafts are flooding the net.

In a new and updated mock draft from The Athletic's Zach Harper, the Sixers land a talented guard. In his latest installment, Harper mocked Illinois guard Ayo Dosunmu to the 76ers. However, with Dosunmu's stock rising out West, he gets taken six picks before Philly's selection in this case, which left the Sixers to select Auburn guard Sharife Cooper.

The Case for Cooper

"Still have the Philadelphia 76ers taking a backup guard here, but with Ayo Dosunmu off the board, Sharife Cooper sneaks in here. Cooper is an electric player with a great feel for the game. He’s just struggled to make shots consistently. He’s been working a lot on refining his jumper into something that works for him. His quickness and ball handling are tremendous. He’d be a nice piece off the bench next to Shake Milton."

The Sixers' need for guards is apparent. In the past, Philly's front office would typically search for players with notable college experience, but the new front office regime proved that isn't as important these days.

That's good news for Cooper, who played just 12 games in the NCAA. Although he averaged 20 points per game, his shooting was underwhelming. Draining just 39-percent of his shots from the field and hitting on just 23-percent of his three-pointers, Cooper has a lot to work on at the next level.

The Sixers need efficient three-point shooters, and Cooper isn't that yet. While that doesn't mean Philly would overlook the Auburn guard at pick 28, it certainly means he wouldn't have a great shot at cracking the rotation much at all in year one.

[MUST READ: Sharife Cooper Draft Profile]

Picking late in the first round is always a huge gamble and never guarantees the selecting team will land a year one contributor. If the Sixers were to end up with Cooper, they would likely end up with a project player who would spend most of his time developing his shot in the G League during his rookie effort.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_