March Madness is set to begin this week, and for Sixers fans, the 68-team, single-elimination tournament holds far more significance than it has in many years. With the Sixers experiencing a hellish 2024-25 campaign which has largely become a lost season, all eyes are on their top-six protected first-round pick which could net the franchise a new building block alongside Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain and Quentin Grimes.
So, consider this your Sixers-centric guide to March Madness, with a focus at the most intriguing draft prospects who could come into play for the Sixers if they end up picking in the top six.
(1) Duke: Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, Khaman Maluach
No surprises here, as even with the presumptive No. 1 overall pick Flagg dealing with an ankle injury, Duke is the team to watch for Sixers fans. Flagg is not believed to be facing an extended absence; he could return in time for the Blue Devils' Round of 64 game.
It is almost unheard of what Flagg has done at Duke, recording one of the best seasons in recent college basketball history while only turning 18 years old midway through the season. He is the unquestioned prize of what is believed to be a very strong draft class; whichever NBA team wins the Draft Lottery should not think twice about taking Flagg and building their franchise around his brilliance.
However, Flagg has two teammates also generating plenty of lottery buzz. Kneuppel, who will be 20 years old for the entirety of his NBA rookie season should he enter the upcoming draft as expected, is a dynamic shot-maker on the wing who has taken his scoring up a few levels of late to help compensate after Flagg went down. Kneuppel, listed at 6-foot-7 and 217 pounds, is shooting 39.2 percent from three-point range on 5.6 attempts per game at Duke while also making 91.4 percent of his free throws. The indicators are that he is a truly elite shooter, and he is expected to be drafted early on because of it.
The Sixers having significant interest in Maluach, who will turn 19 years old in September, would be a clear sign of significant concern regarding the future of Joel Embiid. But given how this season played out for the former NBA MVP, that is not an impossible scenario. Maluach, listed at 7-foot-2 and 250 pounds, is every bit a center, and not a shooter. Maluach has aided his draft stock with a strong season for the Blue Devils centered around his defensive impact; a strong run in March Madness could put him on a skyrocket.
How to watch: Duke will be in action on Friday at 2:50 p.m. EDT on CBS, facing the winner of Wednesday night's First Four game between American and Mount St. Mary's.
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(6) Illinois: Kasparas Jakucionis
Jakucionis, a 6-foot-6 point guard who will turn 19 years old at the end of May, has struggled of late, with his questionable three-point shooting standing out. But jumbo-sized primary ball-handlers are incredibly valuable in today's NBA, and Jakucionis emerged as a potential pick high in the lottery early in the season with a strong blend of all-around skills at his impressive size.
While Jakucionis has only shot 32.9 percent from beyond the arc at Illinois, there are some indicators that he has more shooting talent than that. The Lithuanian point guard is taking five long-range attempts per game and has also shot 84.1 percent from the free throw line; both of those indicators are often more telling than college three-point percentage when projecting how a player's jumper will translate to the NBA.
How to watch: Jakucionis and Illinois will be in action on Friday at 9:45 p.m. EDT on TNT, taking on the winner of Wednesday night's First Four contests between Texas and Xavier.
(9) Baylor: V.J. Edgecombe
Edgecombe, a 6-foot-5 guard who will be 20 years old for the entirety of his rookie NBA season should he declare for the upcoming draft, is an unfathomable athlete. His explosiveness knows no limits, and it is difficult to describe in words. So, allow this clip to tell the story:
Or this one:
This is not a player you want to miss, and if Edgecombe can help Baylor win in the Round of 64, they would be on course to face Flagg, Knueppel, Maluach and the Blue Devils in the Round of 32.
How to watch: Edgecombe and the Bears will be in action on Friday at 12:15 p.m. EDT on CBS, facing Mississippi State.
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(11) Texas: Tre Johnson
Johnson, who stands at 6-foot-6 but only weighs 184 pounds, is a pure scorer who turned 19 years old earlier this month. He has averaged 19.8 points per game for the Longhorns and is shooting 39.2 percent from three-point range on considerable volume (6.8 three-point attempts per game). He is also on the borderline of shooting 90 percent from the free throw line, landing at 89.1 percent. While Johnson was not efficient inside the arc, his chops as a scorer are abundantly clear.
While Johnson is already thought to be in strong position to receive top-five consideration, he can elevate his stock with a strong run in March, particularly if he displays an ability to impact winning in ways beyond scoring. If Johnson leads the Longhorns to a First Four victory over Xavier, he would be matched up with Jakucionis' Illinois squad in the Round of 64.
How to watch: Johnson and the Longhorns will hope to enter the Round of 64 with a First Four win when they take on Xavier on Wednesday at 9:10 p.m. EDT on truTV.
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