As the second round draws near, let’s take a look at five players the Sixers could target with the 35th pick.
One night down, one night to go. Barring a trade, the Sixers will be on the clock for the second round with the 35th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
With Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe already in the fold, it’s time to see which other prospect(s) Daryl Morey and company acquire in their quest to make the Sixers younger and more dynamic.
Let’s take a look at five prospects that make sense.
Rasheer Fleming, F, St. Joe’s
We put Fleming here, but the reality is the Camden native probably doesn’t make it to 35. During the pre-draft process, there was buzz that Fleming could become a lottery pick. That obviously did not come to fruition, but there’s very likely a team that will take a flyer on him with the first few picks of the second round.
If he does fall — or if the Sixers can orchestrate a small trade up — he’s a fascinating prospect to bring on board. His combine measurements were impressive. He stood 6-foot-8.25 without shoes and boasts one of the longest wingspans in the class at 7-foot-5.25.
He has the potential to be a defensive menace. He averaged 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals per game. He also hit the glass with 8.5 (2.1 offensive) rebounds a contest. He’s raw offensively, but improved vastly as a shooter, knocking down 39.0% from deep on a healthy volume (4.5 attempts).
Sion James, G, Duke
I heard a few of you groan when you saw a guard here, but James is no ordinary guard. He’s 6-foot-5 and built like a tank at 220 pounds. He also tested extremely well athletically at the combine. He has the size and skill of a guard, but he can absolutely play like a wing.
After four successful seasons at Tulane, James transferred to Duke as a fifth-year senior. He was an absolutely perfect role player for the Blue Devils, stuffing the stat sheet, making 41.3% of his threes and earning ACC All-Defensive Team honors. You already know he can be an outstanding connective piece around stars.
You’re not shooting for star power with James, but he could develop into a star role player quickly at the next level.
Adou Thiero, F, Arkansas
Speaking of getting younger and more dynamic. If the Sixers come out of this draft with Edgecombe and Thiero, they arguably selected the two best athletes in the class. Thiero measured over 6-foot-6 without shoes with a 7-foot wingspan. His highlights are insane. He has future dunk contest champion written all over him.
Thiero initially went to Kentucky and then followed head coach Jon Calipari to Arkansas. While his time with the Wildcats wasn’t overly impressive, he starred as a junior for the Razorbacks averaging 15.1 points a game.
As of now, Thiero is mostly a driver and play finisher offensively while his jumper leaves a lot to be desired. His physical tools did help him get to the line a ton, a trait that usually translates well at the next level. He has all the athletic attributes to make him a standout defender at the next level. He also plays his tail off and is a loose ball magnet.
As our Will Rucker wrote in his draft profile, Thiero’s floor is a havoc-wreaking two-way player. If he can figure out the jumper and improve upon his playmaking flashes, he could be a whole lot more.
Noah Penda, F, France
Penda is another player many thought would go in the first round. He’s built like a combo forward at 6-foot-8 (with a nearly 7-foot wingspan) and 240 pounds. He could necessary size to the Sixers’ suddenly guard-heavy roster.
The 20-year-old had a strong season in France’s top league, being named an All-Star and the league’s Best Young Player in 2025. He has a versatile skillset for a player his size. His handle is decent, he’s a good passer, strong rebounder, and a fairly disruptive defender. The swing skill, as it is for most young wings, is the jumper. He hit just 32.2% of his threes this past season.
He’s another player where the floor feels pretty high but he also offers a bit of upside. The combination of his size, skill and basketball IQ could make him a great connective piece. If the team can bring back Guerschon Yabusele, his fellow countryman could make a fine mentor.
Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Creighton
If you’re looking for a big, they don’t come much bigger than Kalkbrenner. The four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year measured 7-foot-1 without shoes with a monstrous 7-foot-6 wingspan, the second longest in the class.
Kalkbrenner’s size makes him an ideal rim-running big. He even added the three-ball to his game, a skill he’s continuing to develop. The biggest question is whether Kalkbrenner is athletic enough to play at the NBA level. The team selecting will almost exclusively have to play drop coverage, but with elite rim protection, it could work.
For a team like the Sixers that’s become so guard-heavy, a giant human like Kalkbrenner could be a perfect fit. But it is worth pointing out that he’s 23 years old. Morey tends to favor upside in spots like this, but if he believes Kalkbrenner is the best player on the board, he’ll be the pick.