With the 2022 NBA draft now just a week away, it is now time to dive back into the draft history of the Philadelphia 76ers and see how well the franchise has done in the past in terms of being able to find some gems past Round 1 of the draft.
In this edition, Sixers Wire will rank the top five second-round picks in the draft history of the Sixers. The criteria will be based on the impact made on both the franchise and the league and they have to be picks made by the Sixers.
For example, Kyle Korver will not be on this list because he was selected by the then-New Jersey Nets before being traded to the Sixers.
With that being said, let’s get into the list:
5. World B. Free, 1975
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Back when there were way fewer teams in the NBA, the Sixers selected Lloyd Free with the 23rd overall pick and 5th pick in the second round. Free earned the nickname “World” due to his All-World athleticism and he averaged 12.9 points and 2.9 assists in four seasons with the Sixers. He became a star with the then-San Diego Clippers where he became an All-Star in 1980.
4. George McGinnis, 1973
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McGinnis was selected with the 4th pick in the second round of the 1973 draft, 22nd overall, but he didn’t play for the Sixers until the 1975-76 season as he continued to play for the Indiana Pacers who were in the ABA at that time. McGinnis was a 2-time All-Star in Philadelphia and averaged 21.6 points and 11.5 rebounds during his time with the Sixers.
3. Lou Williams, 2005
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Williams was the 45th overall pick in the 2005 draft and he averaged 11.3 points and 3.0 assists across seven seasons with the Sixers. He started his career slow out of high school as he had to adjust to the speed of the NBA game, but he averaged 14.9 points and 3.5 assists in the 2011-12 season in Philadelphia. He then went on to win three 6th Man of the Year awards–one with the Toronto Raptors and two with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Story continues
2. Mo Cheeks, 1978
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Cheeks was the 36th overall pick in the 1978 draft and he ended up being a steal. He averaged 12.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 2.3 steals across 11 seasons in Philadelphia and he was an All-Star four times with the Sixers. He was also the point guard on the 1983 championship Sixers team.
1. Hal Greer, 1958
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Greer was the 14th overall pick in the 1958 draft and he was the 6th pick of the second round. Obviously, there were not a ton of teams back in 1958, but Greer was still selected in the second round. He is Philadelphia’s all-time leading scorer and he averaged 19.2 points and 5.0 rebounds while playing for both the Syracuse Nationals and the Sixers while also helping the team win the title in 1967.
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