The Sixers have a first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
It’s not theirs. We don’t have to talk about what happened to theirs or how they acquired the Houston Rockets’ pick. Let’s just focus on the pick and the players who could potentially fit with the Sixers.
Here are nine prospects I’ll be watching as the 2026 NCAA Tournament begins.
Dailyn Swain, Texas (11)
March 19, vs. BYU (6), 7:25 p.m.
Swain is listed first here and he very well might be the best fit for the Sixers if he falls to them. He possesses great size on the wing
at 6-foot-8 with a massive wingspan. He can defend multiple positions and his offensive game continues to progress. After spending his first two collegiate seasons at Xavier, Swain had a breakout junior year at Texas, averaging 17.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. His three-ball has steadily improved to the point where he’s hitting 34.5% this season. It’s on low volume, but his touch inside the arc (61.5%) and his free throw percentage (81.6%) are positive indicators. His ability to drive and get to the free throw line (5.9 FTA per game) might be his best offensive trait. He could just be scratching the surface offensively at 20 years old.
Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State (2)
March 20, vs. Tennessee State (15), 2:50 p.m.
The biggest knock on Jefferson is going to be his age — he’s 22 and will turn 23 roughly a month into his NBA career. Still, his production on a very good Iowa State team is hard to ignore. He’s a Swiss Army knife, averaging 16.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game. He has great size at 6-foot-9, 240 pounds. He can initiate and create offense in the half court and also in transition by pulling the ball off the rim and bringing it up himself. He should be able to alleviate pressure and create open looks for Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. Like Swain, his three-ball has progressed steadily, culminating in him shooting 34.5% on 3.2 attempts per game this season.
Amari Allen, Alabama (4)
March 20, vs. Hofstra (13), 3:15 p.m.
If Allen is there, he might be the guy I like the most here, but a strong tournament and combine (or a decision to go back to school another year) might make him unattainable. Allen is a big wing who can shoot, create and rebound — in other words, an absolutely perfect fit for the Sixers. His role has increased as the season has gone on. The 20-year-old has stuffed the stat sheet, averaging 11.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.1 steals. He’s hit 36.5% from three on fairly high volume (4.3 attempts per game). And he’s listed at 6-foot-7. Yeah, this might be the guy.
Aday Mara, Michigan (1)
March 19, vs. Howard (16), 7:10 p.m.
Mara is one of the most fascinating prospects in this draft. He’s 7-foot-4 with a reported 7-foot-7 wingspan. Though he’s a limited athlete who doesn’t possess great foot speed, his size and instincts allow him to be an elite rim protector, leading the country with 2.6 blocks per game — in only 23.1 minutes per game. Offensively, Michigan uses him as an offensive hub at the elbow at times, where Mara shows serious playmaking flashes. Mara might not be a starting big in the NBA, but he has intriguing size and skill that could swing NBA games.
Chris Cenac, Houston (2)
March 19, vs. Idaho (15), 10:10 p.m.
Cenac is also fascinating in that I’m not quite sure what he is, but there are intriguing traits. He’s a near 7-footer with an NBA frame, real skill and he just turned 19 last month. Is he a center? A power forward? Does it matter? He’s on a fantastic Houston team, so he doesn’t always stand out, but the fact that Kelvin Sampson trusts him shows you he plays the right way and gives effort on defense. He’s filled his role, rebounding the heck out of the ball, setting good screens and picking his spots on offense. Could this finally be a guy who can both play with and back up Joel Embiid?
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Motiejus Krivas, Arizona (1)
March 20, vs. LIU (16), 1:35 p.m.
If the Sixers go for a big in this range, Krivas might be the safest bet. He’s one of the best rim protectors in the country, averaging 1.8 blocks per game and deterring more at the cup than that. While he’s built like a traditional big (7-foot-2, 260 pounds), he’s fairly mobile and has good touch. He can rebound and finish at the rim. At worst, he’s a rotational big at the next level, but he could be more.
Zuby Ejiofor, St. John’s (5)
March 20, vs. UNI (12), 7:10 p.m.
For lack of a better term, Ejiofor is a junkyard dog. He’s big, strong, tough and will find every loose ball imaginable. He’s averaged 7.1 rebounds (3.3 offensive), 2.1 blocks and 1.2 steals per game this season. But he’s also fairly skilled, averaging 16.3 points and 3.5 assists while developing a jumper (though admittedly, he still has work to do there). He’s a bit of a tweener listed at 6-foot-9, 240 pounds, but that also makes him fairly versatile. He’s a fringe first-rounder, so he might be more of an option after a modest trade back, but he’s a solid fit for the Sixers with combo big capabilities.
Isaiah Evans, Duke (1)
March 19, vs. Siena (16), 2:50 p.m.
While the Sixers need size to surround their future backcourt, they also need way more shooting (like … way more). Evans is the type of movement shooter they could use. After knocking down 41.6% of his threes as a freshman last season, his percentages have dropped in 2025-26 (36.5%), but his volume has skyrocketed to over seven attempts a game. Just the ability to generate seven attempts from three would be valuable to the Sixers. His size will be the biggest concern. He’s listed at 6-foot-6 with a reported 6-foot-10 wingspan, but is skinny at 175 pounds. NBA teams will have to determine if he’s strong enough to operate on the wing.
Yaxel, Lendeborg, Michigan (1)
March 19, vs. Howard (16), 7:10 p.m.
I don’t see a path to Lendeborg falling to the Sixers’ range, but he has slipped a bit in mock drafts over concerns about his age (23) and his inconsistent jumper. Still, if there’s an opportunity for the Sixers to snag the Pennsauken product, they should pounce. Lendeborg is a do-it-all forward at 6-foot-9. He can guard at the NBA level from opening night. As mentioned, the jumper can be a bit streaky (34.3% from three), but he stuffs the stat sheet and is a smart player who would fit very nicely next to Maxey and Edgecombe (and even Embiid as a strong rebounding four who can finish).
