2024 NBA Draft: Breaking Down Philadelphia 76ers Draft Class

The Philadelphia 76ers had two draft picks in this past draft and added some nice young talent to their roster. How will they fit the organization?

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The Philadelphia 76ers had a first and second-round pick in this year’s draft as they were looking to add more pieces to their elite big three in Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey. The 76ers added George in the offseason as they are looking to compete and win an NBA championship next season.

Let’s dive into each selection they made and the summary of their draft.

No. 16: Jared McCain

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With their middle pick of the first round, the 76ers selected Jared McCain out of Duke. The 6-foot-3 guard is an elite shooter who has exceptional shot mechanics, shot preparation and elite touch. His quick release and elite shooting ability forces opposing defenders to smother him which will naturally open up the floor for his other teammates. 

McCain is more than just an elite spot-up shooter as he’s also a very talented shot-maker off the dribble. He plays with a ton of confidence and is a born scorer. An underrated skill that McCain possesses is that he’s very good out of the pick and roll as he has a good change of speed and uses the ball screens quite well.

The major weakness in McCain’s game is that lacks burst and explosiveness which hurts his ability to create space from defenders off the dribble. His fit next to Embiid should be very, very good.

No. 41: Adem Bona

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With their second-round pick the 76ers elected to add depth to the center position by selecting Adem Bona out of UCLA. The 6-foot-9 center has amazing physical tools. The center is very explosive and has outstanding mobility.

His length and athletic tools allow him to be a very good rim protector. Bona is a physical center that does the dirty work needed to make a positive impact on the floor. He’s a lob threat at all times that scores efficiently inside the painted area.

Bona is a very good rebounder on both ends of the floor due to how high of a motor he plays with and is good positioning to get rebounds. His feel for the game is lacking a bit and he isn’t very skilled but if his role is simplified in the NBA then he should get by as a backup center for someone like Embiid.

Two-way Rookie Signings

The 76ers signed one of the top undrafted prospects Justin Edwards to a two-way contract. The 6-foot-7 wing was born in Philadelphia and will be playing for his hometown team. He’s a versatile wing who shot the ball at a high level at the end of the college season while also being a very good cutter. His physical tools give him some defensive potential. Edwards will spend most of his time in the G League but could eventually be a solid role player in the NBA.

David Jones was another two-way signing by Philadelphia as they brought in an exciting scoring wing. The 6-foot-5 wing is very aggressive in scoring the ball and has consistently improved his shot-making ability each year in college. This past season at Memphis he had the ultimate green light and it’s a big reason why he scored over 20 points per game. Jones will spend his time in the G League but could eventually carve out a role in the NBA with his scoring versatility.

Draft Summary

The 76ers had a solid draft as they added young prospects who could carve out a role on their team with their clear-cut roles in the NBA. McCain is an elite shooter who could be a very good duo next to Maxey. The Duke product has a chance to be one of the top pure shooters in the NBA which is a big reason why he has drawn a ton of comparisons to Seth Curry.

Bona doesn’t ever project to be a starter in the NBA but his high energy and defensive tools are quite enticing which will allow him to be a solid backup center. Philadelphia added young talent and guys who could potentially contribute in their year in the NBA.

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