May 18, 2026, 7:17 p.m. ET
With the NBA draft right around the corner, now is the time to look at some past drafts and see what the Philadelphia 76ers have done in their history. The Sixers have selected some big-time players in the past who have become an important part of the fabric of the franchise’s history.
This first edition focuses on the 2001 draft after the Sixers reached the finals led by Allen Iverson. Due to the success of the season, the Sixers held the No. 26 pick in the draft and they went big by picking big man Samuel Dalembert out of Seton Hall after a solid 2-year collegiate career.
After playing only 34 games as a rookie and then missing the entire 2002-03 season due to injury, Dalembert blossomed into a solid center. He was never a star, but he averaged 8.1 points and 8.3 rebounds during his time with the Sixers while averaging 8.6 points and 9.9 rebounds along with 1.5 blocks in three postseason runs with the franchise.
Dalembert was then sent to the Sacramento Kings in the Spencer Hawes deal in 2010 before finishing with the Houston Rockets, the Milwaukee Bucks, the Dallas Mavericks, and the New York Knicks. He spent 13 years in the league and was a solid rim protector and rebounder in his time in the league.
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