Philadelphia 76ers 2026 Mock Draft 3.0

The NBA Draft takes place on Tuesday, June 23rd, and after another season ends, all eyes are on the new president of basketball operations, Mike Gansey, to bring Philadelphia to the heights their rival in New York has reached.

Gansey, previously the general manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers, has high expectations for his time in Philadelphia. Daryl Morey, after a huge success in the draft last year with VJ Edgecombe, still found himself on the hot seat and was eventually fired.

The 76ers currently hold the 22nd pick in the draft, which would have belonged to the Rockets but was acquired from the Thunder as part of the Jared McCain trade. On the other hand, the Thunder hold the 76ers’ 17th pick due to a previous, unrelated deal.

With the 22nd pick, options are on the table, but they are definitely not endless. It was only a few years ago when the 76ers held the 21st pick and drafted Tyrese Maxey, so it is nowhere near impossible to find talent around this slot.

Although the draft is always a fun time for trade rumors, potential shockers, and quick judgments, the chances of Gansey risking his first moment as the president of basketball operations are low.

Throughout his time with the Cavaliers, Gansey was a part of many notable picks, such as:

• Collin Sexton (2018): Round 1, Pick 8
• Darius Garland (2019): Round 1, Pick 9
• Kevin Porter Jr. (2019): Round 1, Pick 30(via trade)
• Evan Mobley (2021): Round 1, Pick 3
• Jaylon Tyson (2024): Round 1, Pick 20

Gansey has a very positive track record when it comes to first-round picks, assisting in drafting five starting-level players within the span of just six years, and now he has the chance to make this mark in Philadelphia as well.

Pick 22 (via Houston from Oklahoma City): Zuby Ejiofor, PF/C, St. John’s

Physically, Ejiofor measures in just a little bit smaller than most bigs at 6’9 245 lbs, and would no question serve as the PF in the 76ers’ offense. Ejiofor played all four years in college, and in his senior season, he scored over 16 points per game while bringing in a respectable 7.3 rebounds per game. Along with this, he made his presence felt defensively, recording 3.3 stocks per game.

While Ejiofor may not hold the height of a modern big, when watching him play, it is almost unnoticeable. Similar to many undersized bigs in the past, Ejiofor possesses a dominant appearance in the paint and can bring down rebounds over men who are over half a foot taller than him.

With that, offensively, Ejiofor is just as capable as any other player in the modern NBA. He is an excellent passer, very mobile for a big man, and even has begun developing a three-point shot during his time in college.

His just under four assists per game may be overlooked initially, but in the long run, his passing has been viewed far beyond something as simple as “an assist.” Ejiofor, with his mobility and awareness, is able to spread the ball and create open shots, which was huge for St. John’s in 2026 and could be huge for a 76ers team that possesses potentially the best young backcourt in the NBA. On top of this, Ejiofor himself has made it his goal to improve his own versatility by adding a three-pointer to his bag. In his two years as a starter, he saw his 3P% increase by nearly 10% while shooting more every game.

As the 22nd overall pick, expectations are not through the roof. A decent role-playing fringe starter is the role most players in this span will see themselves fill. Currently, Ejiofor sits as one of the more overlooked big men in the draft, mostly due to age and size. However, this may be a blessing in disguise, as now the 76ers have the opportunity to select a top 5-7 PF in the draft as late as, or even later than, 22nd overall.

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