The 2024 NBA Draft Combine has concluded, and the Philadelphia 76ers have started updating their big board. As of now, the Sixers are expected to head into the June event with the 16th overall pick.
Lately, guards have been frequently mocked to the Sixers, but Bleacher Report’s post-combine mock draft took Philly in a different direction.
After going through the week-long event out in Chicago, BR’s most recent mock draft shows the Sixers selecting an Indiana big man, Kel’el Ware, with the 16th pick.
“Ware still has a very high skill level for a center who’s above average athletically and nearly 7’0″ in socks,” writes Jonathan Wasserman. “And the big increase in scoring production helped validate the effectiveness of his tools, movement and shotmaking.”
Ware, a former five-star recruit out of Arkansas, spent two seasons competing at the college level. During his freshman season, Ware appeared in 35 games with Oregon. Coming off the bench for all but four of those matchups, Ware averaged 16 minutes on the court.
During that time, he produced seven points and four rebounds per game.
For his sophomore effort this past season, Ware made a move to Indiana. Playing for the Hoosiers, he started all 30 games he appeared in. Doubling his playing time, Ware took advantage of the opportunity and boosted his draft stock throughout the 2023-2024 season.
Draining 59 percent of his shots from the field, Ware averaged 16 points per game. While he attempted just 1.3 threes per game, he was efficient from deep, successfully knocking down 43 percent of his shots from beyond the arc.
The Hoosiers’ standout was dominant on the glass, coming down with ten rebounds per game. He also averaged two blocks and a steal on a nightly basis.
When it comes to Joel Embiid’s backup spot, the Sixers could use some competition for Paul Reed, who signed back with the Sixers last summer. Currently, there are questions left unanswered for the former second-round pick.
For starters, Reed’s contract is not fully guaranteed for next year. If the Sixers wanted to move on, they could do it without seeing a notable financial penalty. But even in the event they keep Reed, the Sixers would need to add more size to the center position, especially since Reed is a candidate to potentially play at the four more next season.
Ware certainly brings size, which is a plus for the 20-year-old center. If the Sixers keep their pick, he’s a candidate to keep in mind.
