History shows the Sixers should find success with late-round draft picks

The 76ers have a lot of draft capital this season, despite four of the selections being in the second round.

The Sixers have the 21st pick in the first round, a selection they got from the Oklahoma City Thunder. They also have four second-round picks (Nos. 34, 36, 49 and 58).

Even without a lottery pick, an NBA team can find players in the late first round or even in the second round.

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There are several possibilities for the Sixers at No. 21, including Stanford freshman point guard Tyrell Terry, who said he had “great communication” with the Sixers in a predraft interview. Other prospects include Washington’s Jaden McDaniels, College of Charleston’s Grant Riller, and North Carolina’s Cole Anthony.

In looking at the 21st pick over the last 15 years, it hasn’t been an overwhelming group, but the picks from No. 22 to the end of the first round No. 30, is a relatively strong field. And there have been some great second-round selection. Here are the most recent No. 21 picks:

2019: Brandon Clarke, Gonzaga – Oklahoma City Thunder

2018: Grayson Allen, Duke – Utah Jazz

2017: Terrance Ferguson, Australia – Oklahoma City Thunder

2016: DeAndre' Bembry, St. Joseph’s – Atlanta Hawks

2015: Justin Anderson, Virginia – Dallas Mavericks

2014: Mitch McGary, Michigan – Oklahoma City Thunder

2013: Gorgui Dieng, Louisville – Utah Jazz

2012: Jared Sullinger, Ohio State – Boston Celtics

2011; Nolan Smith, Duke University – Portland Trail Blazers

2010: Craig Brackins, Iowa State – Oklahoma City Thunder

2009: Darren Collison, UCLA – New Orleans Hornets

2008: Ryan Anderson, Cal – New Jersey Nets

2007: Daequan Cook, Ohio State – Sixers

2006: Rajon Rondo, Kentucky – Boston

Analysis: Rondo has won NBA titles with the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers, and he’s a four-time All-Star, making him the best player selected 21st overall since 2006. Collison enjoyed a solid 10-year career, averaging 12.5 points and 5.0 assists.

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Power forward Brandon Clarke, last year’s No. 21 pick, had a strong rookie season for the Memphis Grizzlies, averaging 12.1 points and 5.8 rebounds as a key rotation player. He looks to have a bright future. While several others have spent time in the NBA, there weren’t many standouts in this group.

Although there haven’t been a lot of successful picks since 2006 at No. 21, the selections from No. 22 to the end of the first round contains several All-Stars. Here are some of those players, with the overall selection in the first round in parenthesis.

2006: Kyle Lowry (24)

2007: Jared Dudley (22), Wilson Chandler (23), Aaron Afflalo (27)

2008: Serge Ibaka (24) Nicholas Batum (25), George Hill (26)

2009: Taj Gibson (26), DeMarre Carroll (27), Wayne Ellington (28)

2010: Jordan Crawford (27)

2011: Nikola Mirotic (23); Reggie Jackson (24); Jimmy Butler (30)

2013: Tim Hardaway Jr. (24); Rudy Gobert (27)

2014: Rodney Hood (23); Clint Capella (25); Bogdan Bogdanović (27)

2015: Bobby Portis (22); Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (23)

2016: Pascal Siakam (27); Dejounte Murray (29)

2017: Jarrett Allen (22); OG Anunoby (23); Kyle Kuzma (27); Derrick White (29); Josh Hart (30)

2018: Aaron Holiday (23); Landry Shamet (26)

2019: Grant Williams (22); Kevin Porter (30)

Analysis: Lowry and Butler have combined for 11 All-Star selections, while Siakam and Gobert were first-time All-Stars this past season. Ibaka was a three-time first-team All-NBA defensive selection. Hardaway Jr. has been a solid scorer, with a 13.5 career scoring average.

Many teams use the second round to select international players, especially if they don’t need them to join their team during the year they are drafted.

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Two of the most successful players in this group, Nikola Jokic and Marc Gasol, are examples of that draft strategy. Nokic was selected 41st overall in the 2014 draft by Denver, but he didn’t join the Nuggets until the 2015-16 season.

Gasol, drafted 48th overall in the 2007 draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, was traded before entering the NBA the following year with Memphis.

Here are some second-round picks and where they were selected overall since 2006.

2006: PJ Tucker (35); Paul Milsap (47)

2007: Carl Landry (31); Glen David (35); Marc Gasol (48); Ramon Sessions (56)

2008: Nikola Peković (31); Mario Chalmers (34); DeAndre Jordan (35); Omer Asik (36); Luc Mbah a Moute (37); Goran Dragic (45)

2009: Dante Cunningham (33); Jodie Meeks (41); Patrick Beverly (42); Marcus Thornton (43); Danny Green (46); Patty Mills (55)

2010: Hassan Whiteside (33); Lance Stevenson (40)

2011: Bojan Bogdanovic (31); Chandler Parsons (38), Davis Bertans (42); Isaiah Thomas (60)

2012: Tomas Satoranksy (32); Jae Crowder (34); Draymond Green (35); Khris Middleton (39); Will Barton (40)

2013: Mike Muscala (44); James Ennis (50)

2014: Joe Harris (33); Spencer Dinwiddie (38); Jerami Grant (39); Nikola Jokic (41); Jordan Clarkson (46)

2015: Cedi Osman (31); Montrezl Harrell (32); Richaun Holmes (37); Josh Richardson (40); Norman Powell (46)

2016: Malcolm Brogdon (36)

2017: Thomas Bryant (42); Dillon Brooks (45); Monte Morris (51)

2018: Jalen Brunson (33); Devonte Graham (34); Mitchell Robinson (36); Gary Trent Jr. (37); Shake Milton (54)

2019: Eric Paschall (41)

Analysis: Gasol has been a three-time All-Star and one-time NBA defensive player of the year. He was also a key addition to Toronto’s 2019 NBA championship run after being acquired in February of that year.

Jokic, 25, is already a two-time All-Star.

Draymond Green is a three-time All-Star and three-time NBA champion with Golden State.

Middleton, who was originally drafted by Detroit, has been a two-time All-Star with his current team, the Milwaukee Bucks. Isaiah Thomas, drafted 60th in 2011, made two All-Star teams before injuries slowed his career. Dragic is a one-time All-Star.

Brogdon earned rookie of the year honors in 2016-17, the lowest drafted player to earn that award. The other two finalists he beat out for the award were the Sixers' Dario Saric and Joel Embiid.

Former Sixer Jerami Grant, Joe Harris and Davis Bertans are former second-rounders who are among the key free agents on the market.

The Sixers aren’t expected to keep all five draft choices this year, but almost every season there are players of value even late in the first round and in the entire second round.