NBA Draft Insider Lists 4 Potential First-Round Targets for Sixers

With the 2021 NBA Draft just a week away, the Philadelphia 76ers will could soon have a brand new first-round selection on their roster. Right now, the Sixers possess the 28th overall pick in the draft, but anybody who's paid attention to Daryl Morey's long stint running the Houston Rockets' front office knows that keeping that pick is far from a guarantee.
Morey himself even admitted last month that staying put at 28 isn't the only option he's going for. If there's an opportunity to trade up, back, or even out of the first round entirely, Morey will consider it.
But if they do decide to remain on the clock when the 28th pick rolls around, there are a handful of prospects that could be valuable picks for the 76ers. Recently, NBA Draft Insider for The Athletic Sam Vecenie listed four potential prospects the Sixers could land at 28.
Jared Butler, Baylor
The Baylor star had medical concerns leading up to the draft. At this point, he's been cleared, which will surely lead teams such as the Sixers to really give Butler a consideration in the first round.
[MUST READ: Jared Butler Draft Profile]
At 20-years-old, Butler has three years of NCAA experience. He started in 81 of 94 games for the Bears and averaged 14 points per game while shooting 43-percent from the field and 38-percent from deep over the course of three seasons. Not only does he come into the NBA with championship experience at the collegiate level, but he also was named the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player in 2021.
Miles McBride, West Virginia
McBride started his college career coming off the bench for West Virginia in year one. By his sophomore season, the young point guard became a full-time starter for the Mountaineers.
Seeing his minutes significantly increase, McBride seized the opportunity and put up a career-high of 16 points per game. He also made 43-percent of his shots from the field and knocked down 40-percent of his threes while dishing five assists per game. Now, he'll take his talents to the pros at just 20-years-old.
Tre Mann, Florida
A former five-star recruit out of Gainesville, Florida, Tre Mann remained loyal to his hometown and spent two seasons playing for the Florida Gators in the NCAA. Similar to McBride, Mann spent his freshman season coming off the bench and struggled to make an immediate impact.
[MUST READ: Tre Mann Draft Profile]
But by year two, Mann was putting on flashy performances as he put up 16 points per game, hitting on 45-percent of his field-goal attempts and knocking down 40-percent of his threes. The Sixers showed interest in Mann during the draft combine weeks ago, but they would need to hope he falls far to them at 28 to select him as Mann's stock has been rising over the last few weeks.
Nah'Shon Hyland, VCU
The one they call "Bones" quickly became a fan favorite during the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago back in June. As he flashed high energy and stood out both on and off the court, Hyland's stock started rising like no other.
Before, teams probably would've thought they could snag Bones in the second round. Now, he might be in play for the Sixers at 28th overall. The Atlantic-10 Player of the Year is coming off of a tremendous season at VCU as he averaged nearly 20 points per game in all 24 of his starts.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.
Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s Philadelphia 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia Threads: @JGrassoMedia
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