If we include last week’s five prospects, we’re really recommending you keep an eye on eight guys this weekend as three of last week’s five advanced to the Sweet 16. With that said, here’s a look at five new players that the Sixers could target in the mid 30s of this summer’s draft.
Adou Thiero, Arkansas
Height: 6’8”
Weight: 220
Position: SF/PF
Age: 20
Synopsis: First off, Thiero needs to get back on the court. The junior forward hasn’t played for Arkansas in over a month dealing with a hyperextended knee. Things seem to be trending in the right direction though and the Razorbacks would certainly welcome their leading scorer and rebounder back to the lineup, even if it’s in a limited role. Thiero has developed nicely under John Calipari, following the veteran coach from Kentucky to Arkansas and hitting the scouting radar in his junior season.
At 6’8”, Thiero is a tad undersized to be an NBA power forward, but his athleticism and defensive prowess make up for what he lacks in height. He does a lot of dirty work and is billed as a hard worker. For a Sixers team that looked lost defensively for most of the season, Thiero’s toughness could certainly be a welcomed trait up front.
His offensive game has seen steady improvements. His field goal percentage went from 34.5% as a freshman to 49.2% as a sophomore to 54.8% this year. His outside shooting is far from polished, but he’s a 71.3% free throw shooter for his college career so that would suggest his shot is not broken. At the very least, he comes with a high enough defensive floor and is seasoned enough for one to assume he could find his way into a rotation at some point in his rookie season.
Next NCAA Tournament Game: West Regional Semifinal vs. Texas Tech on Thursday at 10:09 PM ET on TBS
Labaron Philon, Alabama
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 177
Position: PG
Age: 19
Synopsis: Philon’s not someone who fills it up as a scorer. That’s mostly done by his backcourt mate Mark Sears at Alabama. He did finish the regular season strong and had a couple of good games in the SEC Tournament and his most recent game against St. Mary’s wasn’t a big scoring game but he contributed admirably with six rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks.
The obvious concern here is going to be the 177-pound frame. He’s certainly someone that could get pushed around a bit early in his NBA career. For that reason, he might stand to gain a lot by returning to Tuscaloosa for his sophomore season and putting on some muscle in the offseason. If all goes well on that path, he could solidify himself as a first-round pick, potentially even a lottery pick, in 2026.
But if he declares for this year’s draft, he’s someone that the Sixers might be able to grab early in the second round. In addition to his size, Philon is not much of a threat at all from beyond the arc. So, what are you getting? Philon draws some Rajon Rondo comparisons for his sound fundamentals, decision making and athleticism. He’s shifty and should be able to defend like a pest and be tough for opposing point guards to blow by and score on. While it’s great to get a long-term starter in the second round, if the Sixers drafted Philon and he became a long-term backup to Tyrese Maxey, a spot they could certainly afford to improve, that’s not a bad investment.
Next NCAA Tournament Game: East Regional Semifinal vs. BYU on Thursday at 7:09 PM ET on CBS
Chaz Lanier, Tennessee
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 199
Position: SG
Age: 23
Synopsis: It’s hard to avoid the SEC when the conference has seven of the 16 teams remaining in the tournament and Lanier is one of the best players in the conference having just won the league’s Newcomer of the Year award. Lanier was also selected to the third-team All-American roster this season. He’s been filling it up for a while in college as he was a first-team all-Atlantic Sun selection last year at North Florida. This season with the Volunteers he’s averaging 18 points per game and shooting 41% from the three-point line. If that sounds familiar, Dalton Knecht was an elite college scoring guard who transferred from a low-major program in Northern Colorado to Tennessee and after one big year with the Volunteers was selected in last year’s first round.
Lanier is older now than Knecht was entering last year’s draft and age seems to negatively impact draft stocks a bit too much. Lanier also isn’t quite the college achiever Knecht was. Having said that, there’s a good case to be made that he could be the best player available when the Sixers pick in this year’s second round. Jared McCain is set to return next season, but with the draft before free agency in the NBA, Lanier could be a good insurance policy to fill backcourt minutes if Quentin Grimes does not return next season. Even with Grimes back, Lanier would shore things up as a more capable bench scorer. It’d be a lot better than watching Kyle Lowry, Eric Gordon or Reggie Jackson that’s for sure.
Next NCAA Tournament Game: Midwest Regional Semifinal vs. Kentucky on Friday at 7:39 PM ET on TBS
Alex Condon, Florida
Height: 6’11”
Weight: 230
Position: PF/C
Age: 20
Synopsis: That’s right, another prospect from the SEC. The Australian big man has slowly risen up draft boards this season after being strictly a bench player for Florida last year. A monster game in Alabama at the end of the regular season in which Condon posted 27 points and 10 rebounds and going 2-for-4 from the three-point line did him a lot of good. On the year, Condon is shooting 34% from three-point land which is up from the 29% he shot last season.
To go with his improved shooting, Condon possesses a decent array of post moves which should help him out against NBA bigs who are likely at least 20-30 pounds stronger than he is. His instincts are a plus on the defensive glass as well, though he is not an elite shot blocker. With Joel Embiid’s future uncertain and the Sixers lacking many other alternatives in the front court, an offseason of putting on some weight could have Condon in line for a decent role as a rookie if drafted by Philadelphia.
Next NCAA Tournament Game: West Regional Semifinal vs. Maryland on Thursday at 7:39 PM ET on TBS
Sion James, Duke
Height: 6’6”
Weight: 220
Position: SF
Age: 22
Synopsis: We had to get the National Championship favorites in here at some point and James is someone that should definitely be available if the Sixers are interested in the mid 30s. His college stats have understandably been scaled back in his first year at Duke after spending his first three college seasons at Tulane. Despite that, he’s shooting a career best 39.7% from the three-point line this season and adding a little bit in both the rebounding and assists departments as well.
We’ve highlighted a few prospects that could afford to put on some muscle in the offseason, but James certainly looks to be physically developed. The combination of strength and shooting might be intriguing to NBA teams if enough of them believe they can unearth some downhill scoring ability in James with his 220-pound frame on the wing. Consider me at least somewhat intrigued in what Nick Nurse could do with James.
Next NCAA Tournament Game: East Regional Semifinal vs Arizona on Thursday at 9:39 PM ET on CBS