2021 NBA Mock Draft: Sixers Land a Steal in the Second Round

The Sixers get a steal by landing VCU's Nah'Shon Hyland in the second round of this 2021 NBA Mock Draft.

When the 2021 NBA Draft finally arrives, the Philadelphia 76ers are going to have all of their focus set on the 28th pick. After finishing first in the Eastern Conference this past regular season but coming up short in the second round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs, the Sixers clinched the No. 28 overall pick in the draft.

Will Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey keep that pick? Well, only time will tell. While Morey did hint at the possibility of that pick getting traded one way or another, the 76ers could still end up utilizing their second-round pick, which is set at No. 50 overall.

A lot of talk in mock drafts these days is all about teams' first-round selections. However, in Bleacher Report's latest Sixers-centric mock draft, Zach Buckley predicts the 76ers could land what some many might consider an absolute steal at pick 50.

Stealing Bones in the Second?

VCU guard Nah'Shon Hyland didn't go to the flashiest school. So, he fell under the radar a bit throughout his time in the NCAA. After receiving an invite to the NBA Draft Combine, though, Hyland quickly made a name for himself as he impressed during the scrimmages and during his interviews and solo workouts.

"It might be wishful thinking to assume that [scoring] void can be filled by anyone on the board at No. 50, but if Nah'Shon "Bones" Hyland gets there, perhaps Philly's prayers will be answered. . . 

Hyland is more of a scorer than table-setter, offering deep range on his quantity-plus-quality outside shot (2.9 threes per outing at a 37.1 percent clip). While his lack of size will limit him defensively (6'3 1/2", 169 lbs), he at least competes at that end. He can also play a bit bigger than his size thanks to a sweeping 6'9 1/4" wingspan and an aggressive edge sure to endear him to the Philly faithful."

Landing Nah'Shon Hyland in the second round would likely earn Morey tons of praise for another home-run second-round selection. But here's the thing; the chances of Hyland sliding that far down the board at this point seem slim.

As BR's Buckley pointed out, scouts expect Hyland to wind up in the first round, per Jonathan Wasserman. Even Hyland himself was extremely confident in the idea of getting selected in the first round following his impressive showing at the combine.

While internet hype certainly doesn't change front office big boards, and combine performances don't mean everything, it seems tough to imagine Hyland drops to pick 50 if he does get pushed out of the first round. If he's still available when the Sixers are on the clock, though, you can bet the Delaware native would be Philly bound. 

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