The Philadelphia 76ers were rewarded with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft following a tough 24-58 season. The Sixers entered the season with championship expectations, but injuries decimated the roster and derailed any chances the team had at seriously contending for a title.

As the Sixers head into this draft, the goal is to land the best player available regardless of position. That is the need of this team at the moment as they look to add a supremely talented young player to a roster in need of youth and athleticism. There are plenty of options for the Sixers in this draft.

Here is the first big board for the Sixers with the No. 3 overall selection with the draft six weeks away:

1. VJ Edgecombe, Baylor

2024-25 stats: 15.0 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 3.2 apg, 2.1 spg, 43.6% FG, 34% 3FG

Many will be clamoring for Rutgers star Ace Bailey, and he will be a top option for Philadelphia, but Edgecombe could be the better player. He is supremely athletic, able to take any defender off the dribble, and attack the basket, and he is more than solid defensively as he is aggressive at the point of attack and can create turnovers. He is an outstanding worker, and even though there are some finishing issues at the basket, he is somebody who can contribute on that end right away.

In terms of his catch-and-shoot ability, a skill needed on a team with Joel Embiid on it, he shot 45-for-124 (36.3%) on catch-and-shoot 3s per Synergy Sports. However, he did shoot 21-for-45 (46.7%) when unguarded on those attempts. It shows that he can knock down and open look should it be needed. That shows he has a lot of shooting upside for his position and should be a great option.

2. Ace Bailey, Rutgers

2024-25 stats: 17.6 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.3 bpg, 1.0 spg, 46% FG, 34.6% 3FG

Bailey will be the popular pick for a lot of people. He has good measurements with star written all over him, but the knock on him is that he settles for bad shots and the fact that Rutgers did not make the NCAA Tournament. Despite having Bailey, and Dylan Harper, the Scarlet Knights finished 15-17 and barely made their own conference tournament in the Big 10. With that being said, Bailey figures to be a great NBA prospect with his length, finishing ability, and athleticism.

In terms of his catch-and-shoot percentages, he shot 36-for-93 (38.7%) on those opportunities from deep. He shot 29-for-66 (43.9%) on those attempts while he was guarded. It shows that he has the skill and the want to take and make tough shots. There is a lot to like about his game, but there are some rough edges he needs to smooth out.

3. Tre Johnson, Texas

2024-25 stats: 19.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.7 apg, 0.9 spg, 42.7% FG, 39.7% 3FG

Johnson has his flaws, but scoring and shooting certainly aren’t one of them. He has an ability to light up the scoreboard at any moment by taking defenders to the basket, being able to knock down tough 3s, and he can shoot off the catch or off the dribble. If the Sixers are thinking a microwave scorer, then Johnson should be their guy. One can argue that he isn’t worthy of a No. 3 pick, but he has skills that will translate to the NBA level.

As mentioned, he shot 51-for-125 (40.8%) on catch-and-shoot 3s. He was 32-for-77 (41.6%) on those attempts while guarded. Even off the dribble, he shot 38-for-99 (38.4%) on those 3-point attempts. He is an electric player and the Sixers should certainly give him a look before they decide on a player with this selection.

4. Kon Knueppel, Duke

2024-25 stats: 14.4 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.0 spg, 47.9% FG, 40.6% 3FG

Knueppel would be more of a trade down option should the Sixers not like what they see at No. 3. Either way, if the Sixers are thinking spacing and elite shooting, then Knueppel should be their guy. He has a high basketball IQ being able to navigate off screens to get himself open for looks, he competes on the defensive end, and he is an underrated playmaker. There are limitations so he may not grade out as a starter in some cases, but he is for sure a rotation player in this league due to the shooting ability.

He shot 77-for-178 (43.3%) on catch-and-shoot 3s and was an impressive 36-for-84 (42.9%) on those attempts while guarded. He cannot do the things Bailey, Edgecombe, or Johnson can do, but Knueppel should be on the radar of president Daryl Morey and Co. should they decide to trade down and add to the depth of the roster–which is another need for this group.

5. Khaman Maluach, Duke

2024-25 stats: 8.6 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 0.5 apg, 1.3 bpg, 0.2 spg, 71.2% FG

Maluach would be an option for Philadelphia should it want big man depth behind Embiid. With that being said, the Sixers do expect veteran Andre Drummond to exercise his player option for 2025-26 so he figures to return, and there is already young big man Adem Bona who made a name for himself as a rookie. However, Maluach stands at 7-foot-2 and the Sixers could always use some more size off the bench which has been an issue in the past.

With that being said, Maluach is a bit raw offensively as he limited to putbacks and lob dunks off the pick-and-roll. While he does have soft hands to make all of this work on the offensive end, the Sixers would need him to add some type of jumper to his game. Philadelphia needs versatility out of its big men and Maluach would have to add to his game in order to stick.