It’s pretty obvious to a lot of people in the NBA that the Sixers have a real lack of shooting talent. The good news is that this year’s draft class is stacked with players who can fill that hole. Today, we’ll take a look at 5 shooting guards the Sixers should target in this year’s draft.
Desmond Bane – TCU
A true scoring guard who has the fantastic ability to score at all 3 levels, Bane also possesses great passing ability that elevates the whole team. A realistic option at pick 21 who stands at 6’6 and 215 lbs, Bane has a strong frame that should aid his transition to the NBA.
Some people used to question his shooting motion as it was really unorthodox, and still is, but it works really well, as evidenced by a 3-point percentage that rose in each of his last two years, ending at .442 in 2019.
Bane has strong court vision and is never rushed into making a decision.
Defensively he plays a smart game, knowing exactly when to play the ball and push for a turnover or when to play the man. His frame allows him to be a great rebounder for a wing player (career average of 4.7 per game) and he can physically go with many players.
He isn’t an explosive athlete, nor does he have incredible speed or an explosive first step. Even though he’s 6’6, his shorter wingspan can let him down when trying to finish at the rim.
Josh Green – Arizona
Josh Green is a swiss army knife that the Sixers should absolutely have on their list of targets. He’s an extremely versatile player. He can mold into a clinical 3-point shooter, a pass-first point guard, to a playmaking slasher, or whatever the team needs during that particular moment.
Born in Australia, the 6’6, 210 lbs, guard out of Arizona is a phenomenal athlete and defender who led Arizona in steals per game and a guy who would switch to the point guard position when Nico Mannion was out of the game.
Green needs to improve on a 3-point shot, but his upside should allow him to do that without really stagnating at the NBA level.
He needs to work on using his left hand more during dribbles and can often find himself in foul trouble late in games because he’s such an active and enthusiastic defender. I’ve never had a proper NBA draft crush before, but I can say wholeheartedly, I have the biggest draft crush on Josh Green.
Green is a fantastic rebounder and that’s mainly down to his 6’10 wingspan, which is astonishing for a wing player. Green would have an instant impact on any NBA team from the start and after has every trait to develop into a star.
Immanuel Quickley – Kentucky
Immanuel Quickley has, pardon the pun, quickly soared up draft boards over the past 12 months following his stellar growth during his time at Kentucky. He was voted 2019-20 SEC Player of the Year and became a scary offensive weapon for Kentucky in this past season.
Quickley is a combo guard who stands at 6’3 and 190 lbs, but with a 6’9 wingspan, he quickly overcomes his smaller size for a shooting guard.
Immanuel was an exceptional 3 point shooter in his last year with Kentucky ending with a 42% clip and went from almost being a reserve player to being the guy late in games and in clutch moments. He puts up points in bunches thanks to his quick shooting mechanics and release.
Quickley has helped his draft stock even more recently as he was one of the standout stars during the combine’s shooting drills. He enters the league on the back of playing in big games for the past 2 years and defensively, he’s proven he can defend both point guards and shooting guards effectively.
The main issue Immanuel has, and it’s why he’s projected as a 2nd round prospect, is his smaller stature. When you watch him play, he doesn’t enjoy receiving contact and his size doesn’t allow him to play physically or drive to the rim and finish effectively. He’s also not the greatest handler of the ball and although he’s an unselfish player, he doesn’t have the best playmaking ability which can lead to turnovers or breakdowns of offense.
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Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire
