The Sixers were fully all-in on their rebuild back in the summer of 2014. The team was coming off of a 19-63 campaign, 15 fewer wins than the season before. This was the first real chance for Sam Hinkie to land the transcendent talent that Philadelphia had lacked since Allen Iverson.
The Sixers went into the night armed with the third overall pick in the draft. The Sixers — along with the Milwaukee Bucks — fell one spot in the draft order as the Cleveland Cavaliers landed the first overall pick in the lottery. Some at the time viewed this as a bit of a disappointment, but history would show that this would work in favor of Philadelphia.