The Philadelphia 76ers were big winners in the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery. Boasting the fifth-worst record and a top-six protected pick, the Sixers needed a bit of luck to avoid catastrophe. Handing a top-10 pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder of all teams was would not have been ideal for anyone (except the Thunder).
In the end, multiple teams jumped ahead of Philadelphia, but the Sixers also moved up, securing the No. 3 overall pick behind Dallas at No. 1 and San Antonio at No. 2. It was chaos beyond comparison, but it left Philadelphia in an advantageous position as Daryl Morey attempts to dig the Sixers out of a hole he (partially) created.
We know the Sixers are banking on Joel Embiid's health more than anything, but developing a top-3 pick alongside 24-year-old Tyrese Maxey and 21-year-old Jared McCain offers a nice bridge to the future. It gives Philadelphia fallback options if this all goes south (again). It also gives them a chance to add a meaningful contributor to a roster meant to contend.
While there is a certain consensus around the top of this draft, Philadelphia is expected to consider multiple options. The Sixers also own the No. 35 pick in the second round. Here's how the experts see the board falling for Philly.
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Sixers projected picks at No. 3
Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo, ESPN — Ace Bailey, F, Rutgers
The Sixers are "looking at a wide group of prospects," per Givony, but he expects Ace Bailey to end up taking the crown at No. 3. That is no surprise, as Bailey began the season as a consensus top-3 option alongside Duke's Cooper Flagg and his Rutgers teammate, Dylan Harper. A tall, talented shot-maker, Bailey oozes upside — so long as he can refine his shot selection, up his playmaking and commit on defense.
Jonathan Wasserman, Bleacher Report — Ace Bailey, F, Rutgers
You might start to notice a trend here. Wasserman notes that, with Paul George on the decline, Philadelphia "could look to Bailey to add more scoring and shotmaking around the perimeter." PG is definitely a great teacher for Bailey on paper, as both are rangy, 6-foot-8 and change wings who rely on movement shooting and sound defense to produce star-level results. Bailey has cited George as an inspiration in the past. George also continues to endorse Bailey as Flagg's greatest challenger in this class.
Kevin O'Connor, Yahoo — Ace Bailey, F, Rutgers
"Sixers fans are already at war over Bailey," O'Connor writes, and he's absolutely correct. While Bailey is the odds-on favorite at No. 3, he's a complicated and polarizing prospect with severe shortcomings. He definitely isn't the most ready-made contributor on the board in Philly's spot. That said, O'Connor also believes Bailey has the "swagger of a throwback bucket-getter," which could seal the deal for Philadelphia.
Danny Chau and J. Kyle Mann, The Ringer — Ace Bailey, F, Rutgers
"I’ve had Tre Johnson earmarked for Philly for a while because he could be a great plug-and-play fit, but Bailey does a lot of similar things," Mann writes. Philly's board definitely shrunk with the move from No. 5 to No. 3 on lottery night, but Bailey is undeniably a clean fit. The Sixers need leverage shooters who can space the floor for Embiid and bend a defense. Whatever your qualms are with Bailey as a prospect — and I've got plenty — you couldn't dream up a better infrastructure for his rookie season than Philadelphia's rotation. At least on paper.
Sam Vecenie, The Athletic — Ace Bailey, F, Rutgers
"They certainly could use a bigger wing to pair with Paul George," Vecenie writes. "However, Bailey’s range extends a bit further down than this into even the middle portion of the lottery." Once again, Bailey is the overwhelming favorite — the "easy" pick — but Philadelphia is expected to cast a wide net, so we cannot write this in Sharpie just yet.
FanSided — VJ Edgecombe, G, Baylor
Christopher ... yours is different than everyone else's. It's true. Perhaps this is wishcasting a bit, but VJ Edgecombe better fits the profile of what Daryl Morey tends to prioritize. He will lap Bailey on the analytics front as a high-level defensive playmaker, an efficient shooter and a more refined playmaker. Edgecombe also boasts plenty of upside as a grade-A, 100th-percentile athlete with a strong frame and ample room to expand his skill set. Do not set and forget Bailey in this spot.
Sixers projected picks at No. 35
Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo, ESPN — Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Creighton
Ryan Kalkbrenner is a four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year. He made 34.4 percent of his 3s as a senior and averaged a 2.7 blocks. It is the third time he has led his conference in that latter category. While Kalkbrenner's ceiling may be limited, he's a sharp drop coverage defender and a viable floor spacer, which the Sixers could use behind Embiid.
Jonathan Wasserman, Bleacher Report — Chaz Lanier, G, Tennessee
Chaz Lanier was a big winner at the Combine, acing the athletic testing and sinking plenty of shots. The 23-year-old made 39.5 percent of his 3s as a senior on 8.2 attempts per game. That alone gives him an outlier trait (and one that's especially valuable to Philadelphia), which is enough to garner second-round consideration.
Kevin O'Connor, Yahoo — Danny Wolf, C, Michigan
Danny Wolf enjoyed a breakout junior season at Michigan after transferring from Yale. He essentially operated as a 7-foot point guard, sinking 33.6 percent of his 3s and averaging 3.6 assists per game. A uniquely dynamic offensive skill set makes me skeptical of Wolf falling into the second round, but he's solid value at this spot as a rangy, malleable big who can back up Embiid and play alongside him.
Sam Vecenie, The Athletic — Johni Broome, C, Auburn
Johni Broome finished second behind Cooper Flagg in Wooden Award voting. He was argubaly the best player in college basketball for the No. 1 overall seed, leading Auburn across the board as a three-level scorer and proficient shot-blocker. Broome's size and athletic limitations will make it tougher sledding in the NBA, but he can space the floor, attack mismatches as a face-up scorer and give Philly a multi-positional option in the frontcourt. This is a huge win in my book.
FanSided — Johni Broome, C, Auburn
Great minds think alike. Broome will receive a first-round grade in my book, but NBA teams often fade older players with clear athletic limitations — even when their production lapped the majority of their NCAA counterparts. If Broome falls into Philadelphia's lap, he's the perfect fit as a physical, skilled interior presence who's ready to contribute on day one.