BROOKLYN, NY - The Sixers delected injured center Joel Embiid with the third overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft and acquired the draft rights to Dario Saric, the12th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, along with the Orlando Magic’s second round draft pick in 2015 and a future first round draft pick in exchange for the 10th overall pick, guard Elfrid Payton.
“We are delighted to welcome our two first round picks from this draft, Joel Embiid and Dario Saric,” said Sixers President of Basketball Operations & General Manager Sam Hinkie in a statement. “These two 20-year-olds represent another layer to the construction of our program. Joel is a rare 7-foot talent with remarkable gifts and a defensive mindset. We plan to work in lockstep with Joel to manage his rehabilitation and give him every opportunity to have a long and productive NBA career.
“Dario is an extremely versatile and highly accomplished player at various international levels. His basketball instincts, his ability to pass and his desire for greatness drew us to him. Our staff has tracked him across the globe for many years now, and we were ecstatic to be able to acquire him.“
This marks the third time the Sixers have held the third overall pick, with the most recent selection being Jerry Stackhouse in 1995. Recent notable players drafted third overall include Bradley Beal (2012), James Harden (2009), Deron Williams (2005) and Carmelo Anthony (2003). Michael Jordan was the third overall pick in 1984.
Embiid (7-foot, 250) averaged 12 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocks and 1 steal in just 24 minutes per game this past season while shooting 63 percent from the floor. He was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and All-Big 12 Second Team. Embiid set school freshman records for blocks, rebounds and field goal percentage.
The 20-year-old tallied a team-high eight double-doubles, including seven over his final 17 games played. Embiid also recorded at least one block in 26 of his 28 games played. He had a season-high eight blocks against Oklahoma State on January 18, 2014.
Saric (6-10, 223), a 2014 NBA Draft early entry candidate after playing overseas for Cibona VIP Zagreb (Croatia), averaged 17 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists this past season. He was named 2013 FIBA Europe Young Player of the Year, and helped lead Cibona Zagreb to an Adriatic League title as the Most Improved Player and Finals MVP. The 20-year-old has long competed for his native Croatia’s national teams, most recently in the 2013 Eurobasket qualifying round.
No comments:
Post a Comment