ESPN gives the Philadelphia 76ers high marks for 2025 draft results
The Philadelphia 76ers made a couple of selections in the 2025 NBA draft as they picked Baylor star VJ Edgecombe with the No. 3 overall pick in Round 1 and then Auburn star Johni Broome No. 35 overall in Round 2. The two of them are expected to help the Sixers move forward on their championship path.
The Sixers are expected have Edgecombe join a talented, but small, backcourt. Philadelphia will have Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, Edgecombe, and possibly Quentin Grimes in the backcourt in 2025-26. Maxey, McCain, and Edgecombe are all smaller guards, but they all can score and make a big impact in their own way on the basketball court. The Sixers have a chance to be dynamic at the guard position.
ESPN gave their draft grades for 2025 and the Sixers received a B+ for their rookie class:
Although Knueppel was a little ahead in my projections, I probably would have taken Edgecombe here, too. I like his defensive base, with a sky-high steal rate at Baylor, and athleticism to become a shot creator.
Knueppel might have fit more cleanly with Joel Embiid, but given the state of Embiid's health, I'm not sure that should be Philadelphia's primary timeline anymore.
A consensus first-team All-America pick last season, Broome could help the Sixers immediately. He brings more skill to the center spot than the backups (Andre Drummond and Adem Bona) who struggled to fill in for Embiid last season.
The Sixers could have selected Kon Knueppel, which would have been another solid pick for No. 3, but Edgecombe is a much more athletic player and can help on the defensive end right away. Broome, on the other hand, is a burly, but skilled big man who will be able to learn from the likes of Joel Embiid and Andre Drummond at the big man spot as he moves forward in his rookie season.
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