The day has arrived.
No more mock drafts and, soon enough, we’ll know exactly how Mike Gansey and the Sixers used the 22nd overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
I’ve changed my mind so much over the last few weeks, but now that the day is here, I have it narrowed down to five players who I think would be the best realistic fits for the Sixers at 22. So, no trade-ups for [insert your favorite Michigan frontcourt player]. Let’s dive in.
Dailyn Swain, Wing, Texas
It’s hard to imagine Swain falls to 22, but several mocks have him
slipping into the Sixers’ range. Many draft experts consider Swain a lottery-level talent because of his ability as a shot creator at 6-foot-7. As we saw in the playoffs, the Sixers could absolutely use more pure bucket-getters and serious help on the wing. With three years of college experience, it’s not crazy to think Swain could help anchor bench lineups as a rookie. Defensively, Swain should be solid-to-good at the next level thanks to his 6-foot-10 wingspan and athleticism.
The biggest knock on Swain — and the biggest reason he could be available — is his jumper. He struggled mightily from deep in his first two seasons at Xavier before shooting a respectable 34.4% this past season. His touch inside the arc and 81.5% mark from the free throw line are positive indicators. Where Swain struggled most was shooting catch-and-shoot triples, with his release being a bit long and slow. If he can work out those kinks, his ceiling is high.
Check out Will Rucker’s draft profile on Swain and why he believes the former Longhorn has star potential.
Allen Graves, PF, Santa Clara
Graves is a tricky player to project. He’s got a Swiss Army Knife skillset offensively, was an impact off-ball defender last season and has ideal power forward size. You could easily see him sliding in at the four for the Sixers with his ability to rebound and shoot. He could even potentially be used as a five in small-ball lineups.
But the level of competition and Graves’ lack of high-end athleticism make me a little nervous. He also found himself in foul trouble an awful lot. Still, that point forward archetype is intriguing, especially for the post-Joel Embiid era. If he’s there at 22, I’d be willing to take a bet on him.
Check out Harrison Grimm’s draft profile on Graves and why Graves was an analytics darling at Santa Clara last season.
Ebuka Okorie, G, Stanford
The Sixers can’t take another small guard!
Right, because the Knicks really struggled with Jalen Brunson, Miles McBride and Jose Alvarado. There’s no way it could work!
In all seriousness, if Okorie is the best player on the board (and he very well could be!), the Sixers should take him. He’s a far different player than Jared McCain. He’s longer, more athletic and is an elite ball-handler who lives in the paint. While he doesn’t project to be an all-world defender, he should be able to hold his own with a 6-foot-8 wingspan and a sturdy 186-pound frame.
If Quentin Grimes walks, the Sixers will need a reliable third guard off the bench. Okorie should be able to have a role as a rookie. He shoots it well enough (35.4% on high volume and mostly pull-ups) and should be skilled and strong enough to take on NBA defenders. In this league, shot-creation is at a premium. Okorie did so at an elite level at Stanford.
Rucker believes Okorie has a chance to be special, even likening the Sixers potentially taking him at 22 to the franchise selecting Maxey 21st overall in 2020.
Jayden Quaintance, C, Kentucky
Quaintance is 18 years old, has All-Defensive Team potential, has flashes offensively and might even be able to play a little power forward. Sounds perfect, right? In a vacuum, Quaintance seems like a dream fit for the Sixers. It’s all going to come down to the medicals for the Kentucky big man. As a 17-year-old playing at Arizona State, he tore his ACL. He didn’t see the court much in 2025-26 because of lingering issues.
There was a point where people believed Quaintance could be a top-five pick — that’s the talent level we’re talking about here. If the medical reports are bad enough to have him dropping him down into the 20s, it’s a pretty big red flag. I wouldn’t blame Gansey and the front office either way. Gambling on a player with this potential is bold, but if the medicals look that rough, you can understand why they’d pass.
Rucker broke down Quaintance’s game and what makes him a tantalizing prospect.
Zuby Ejiofor, PF/C, St. John’s
Full disclosure: Ejiofor might have been my favorite player to watch in college basketball this past season. He’s tough, physical, athletic, unselfish, has a ridiculous motor and is super versatile. Players like that who stand at 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan don’t grow on trees. The dude is just a winning basketball player.
The obvious concerns are that he’s a tweener and his shooting might dictate how good of a pro he ultimately becomes. For the Sixers, his combo big versatility could be a great asset. Is 22 a bit rich? Maybe, but he’s one hell of a player and a lot of fun to watch.
Grimm explained why he believes Ejiofor should be in play for the Sixers at 22.
Honorable mentions
Arizona’s Koa Peat, Houston’s Chris Cenac, Jr., Iowa State’s Joshua Jefferson and UConn’s Tarris Reed Jr. interest me to varying degrees.
Peat’s skillset as a bruising, athletic power forward is an ideal fit for the Sixers, but I have serious concerns about his jumper. He has a floor as a junkyard dog forward, willing to do all the little things, but I’m not sure his ceiling is super high without a better shot.
Cenac is intriguing because of his size, skill and ability to rebound. It’s a bit concerning that he plays like a guard in a pure center’s body offensively. He also seemed to struggle processing things at times. Was that just inexperience or a sign of a bigger issue? Cenac is going to need plenty of seasoning at the next level.
Jefferson was awesome at Iowa State. He’s sort of a lesser version of Graves, but is an even better passer. The biggest knocks on Jefferson are going to be his age (23) and athletic ability. He was one of the poorest testers at the combine, but the production this past season is hard to ignore.
For Reed, 22 might just be a little rich, but there definitely should be interest for a Sixers team that’s repeatedly struck out on the backup center position. There’s nothing super special about Reed — he’s just a good big man. He’ll set good screens, roll hard, protect the rim, hit the glass and even has decent footwork in the post to go get his own bucket from time to time. For the Sixers, that type of steady play from a Joel Embiid backup would be nice.
