Making their first draft pick in literal years, the Sixers had some options at the 16th pick in this past year’s first round. Tennessee forward Dalton Knecht had slid all the way down the board. Colorado wing Tristan de Silva was also available as a potential NBA-ready player ready to slide into a rotation.
Instead, Philadelphia went with a 6-foot-3 shooting guard in Jared McCain. In his lone season at Duke, McCain averaged 14.3 points, five boards, and 1.9 assists per game, where his reputation as a sharpshooter followed him. He shot 46.2% from the field and 41.