The Philadelphia 76ers occupy the first real inflection point in the 2025 NBA Draft. While there has been some faint scuttlebutt around Dylan Harper and the San Antonio Spurs at No. 2, it's difficult to imagine the Spurs passing up such a talented and complete player with their pick. That means the board really opens up at No. 3.
Harper's Rutgers teammate, Ace Bailey, is still the overwhelming favorite to land in Philadelphia with the third pick, but he is by no means a guarantee. The Sixers are expected to cast a wide net and consider several potential avenues, from more win-now talents like Kon Knueppel or VJ Edgecombe, to pure upside swings like Khaman Maluach. Even trades are on the table.
That said, in my latest NBA mock draft for FanSided, the picks were made based on what teams should do — not what consensus and reporting necessarily suggests they will do. That means the Sixers went an unconventional route with the No. 3 pick, selecting South Carolina sophomore Collin Murray-Boyles.
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76ers target Collin Murray-Boyles over Ace Bailey in suggestive mock draft
This is not exactly a consensus opinion, but Collin Murray-Boyles feels like the most underrated star bet in the draft. He also feels like a player who can supply real value as a rookie, which the Sixers — still theoretically in pursuit of a championship — will necessitate. The positional and skill fit is also too clean to overlook.
What the Sixers need most right now is size, physicality and rebounding in the frontcourt. CMB has drawn comparisons to Charles Barkley for his unique strength, mobility and strength in the power forward slot. He's 6-foot-7, 239 pounds with a 7-foot-1 wingspan. He vacuumed the glass at South Carolina and was extremely productive as a sophomore, improving his efficiency across the board despite a sharp spike in offensive responsibilities.
This is not to say CMB is the next Round Mound of Rebound, of course, but the physical tools are too singular to ignore at the top of draft boards. He is quite possibly the most dominant defender in his class, with one-through-five switchability and magnetic hands, which manifest in passing lanes or on stifled drives to the rim. CMB isn't a primary rim protector, but he can hover on the weak side and get vertical when he needs to. The effort, instincts and sheer force of will popped every time a South Carolina game was on TV.
CMB gives the Sixers another defensive anchor to position next to Joel Embiid in the frontcourt, perhaps picking up some of the slack as Embiid ages and succumbs to the accumulated limitations of multiple lower leg injuries.
Murray-Boyles could impact Sixers in multiple ways
The offensive projection is a bit more complicated, as CMB doesn't really shoot (although he did at least attempt 3s as a sophomore, which was not the case as a freshman). The Sixers can play four-out with Embiid, however, and even explore Murray-Boyles as a small-ball center with the second unit. There will be creative ways to extract value from his skill set, with or without a dependable jumper.
CMB is light on his feet and perfectly willing to throw his weight around, which led to remarkable finishing numbers around the rim. He can bully mismatches, attack downhill from the elbow, and score with a deep bag of tricks in the paint. CMB is also a slick passer, able to quickly process the floor around him and deliver tight-window dimes on the move, whether it's an open shooter or a wing cutting backdoor.
With an All-Defense ceiling and a unique path to productive offense, Murray-Boyles feels like a smart swing for the Sixers near the top of the draft — or, perhaps more realistically, if Philadelphia decides to trade back a few spots and acquire more assets. That is the dream outcome, and in my frank, personal opinion, a far better use of this high draft pick than a shot-making project like Ace Bailey.