Evaluating how the Sixers have done when picking or trading from the No. 3 position
As he’s liked to point out, this is the first time in his career as an NBA executive that Daryl Morey has had a lottery draft selection. That’s made it difficult to figure out what the Sixers will do with the third overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
No one knows if he’s the type of GM to stick at a spot and take his guy no matter what, or if he’d rather trade down and continue to stack assets, because that’s never been a decision he’s been in the position to make.
The Sixers on the other hand, have been here before. They’ve earned the third overall pick five times in the past to be exact. So here’s a look back at the intense highs and lows the franchise has been through drafting from this position.
It may be fitting that the first time Philadelphia had the No. 3 pick back in 1988 they ended up trading back a few spots. They took Charles Smith then immediately traded him to the Clippers for a future first-round pick and the sixth overall pick in that year’s draft, which was used on Hersey Hawkins.
Hawkins went on to play five years with the Sixers that saw one All-Rookie selection and an All-Star Game appearance in 1991. In that time he averaged 19 points a game shooting 46.4% from the field and 40.6% from three, along with 3.4 assists and 1.8 steals per night.
The rest of the team was declining year after year though, and Hawkins was traded in 1993 to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Dana Barros and more draft picks.
It shouldn’t come as a huge shock that the Sixers ended up picking third again in the decade. In 1995 the Sixers were back at the third position (also coming off a 24-win season). This time they stayed put and selected Jerry Stackhouse.
Not only was he also named to the All-Rookie team, but he finished fourth for the Rookie of the Year award after averaging 19.2 points per game. He would only play another year and a half in Philadelphia before being traded to the Detroit Pistons. As they continued to live in the lottery, they shifted focus to another high selection in Allen Iverson. There are certainly bigger whiffs from the ‘95 draft, but Kevin Garnett going two picks later still stings.
Nearly two decades went by before the Sixers found themselves this high in the draft again. Their attempt to go #WinlessForWiggins landed them at three in the 2014 overall draft. A couple broken bones and two equally impressive prospects in Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker allowed one Joel Embiid from Kansas to drop to the third overall pick.
For once, this blog will refrain from debating Embiid’s lasting legacy. For now, it’s safe to say getting seven All-Star appearances, five All-NBA teams, three All-Defensive teams, two scoring titles, and one MVP award from a kid who was still learning the game of basketball was quite the success.
Embiid of course wasn’t able to play his first NBA game for two seasons, which gave the Sixers the opportunity to try to win the lottery the very next year. The ping pong balls put them in the same spot a year later.
The 2015 draft didn’t work out nearly as well for them though. After taking two centers the years prior, it seemed that D’Angelo Russell falling into their hands at three would be just the fit the team needed. The L.A. Lakers decided to spoil those plans though, leaving the Sixers in a position where they felt they had to take Duke big Jahlil Okafor.
Okafor’s career highlight as a Sixer ended up being punching some Celtics fans for talking shit (which to be fair, a lot of players here did a lot less). He ended up being one of the biggest busts in franchise history, but was still able to briefly snag a roster spot in the league this past season, so good for him.
A lot of Monday morning quarterbacks wished they had taken Devin Booker or even Kristaps Porzignis instead. For several reasons, neither of those options seemed particularly possible, but it wouldn’t be the worst gaffe the Sixers would make at this position in this decade.
It’s so fitting that the Pick Swap ended up being the Sixers undoing while also benefitting their biggest rival. In 2017, Philadelphia won the fifth overall pick in the lottery but due to a prior trade, were able to swap with the Sacramento Kings up to No. 3.
If they were stuck at five, perhaps the Celtics would have had to look somewhere else to complete their deal, or they just would have stuck at No. 1 themselves. If it makes anyone feel better, it’s fairly well documented that Boston was taking Jayson Tatum no matter what in the 2017 draft, it was just a matter of where.
The Sixers jumped at the opportunity, sending the third pick as well as a 2019 Sacramento first to the Celtics in exchange for the first overall pick to take slam-dunk top prospect Markelle Fultz. Not only did Tatum turn into a top-10 player who repeatedly tormented the Sixers in the postseason, eventually bringing Boston another championship, but Fultz’ career was immediately derailed in one of the most bizarre injuries ever that is still leaving people searching for answers.
Maybe not everyone has reached this level of nihilism with this franchise. It just feels so fitting though — so Sixers — that their biggest triumph and worst blunder of the century came from the same draft position only a few years apart.
Perhaps the takeaway is as much pressure as there is on the Sixers to nail this draft, it could be and has been worse. Good luck, Daryl!