Philadelphia 76ers: Who will be in and out of draft range at pick 23?

Reaches for the Philadelphia 76ers at 23.

Fringe: Christian Braun – Wing, Kansas

There’s almost a guilty feeling calling Christian Braun a “reach” — hence the fringe title —however it just goes to show how deep this draft is in regards to role players. Even at 23, there are likely a handful of prospects who are either higher-rated or better fit the needs of the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Kansas Jayhawks’ answer to Pat Connaughton impressed this season, averaging 14.1 points and 6.5 rebounds as the Robin to Ochai Agbaji’s Batman. Braun was a solid shooter and defender for Bill Self’s squad last season, especially during their championship run. Braun was the consistent presence the team needed supporting his squad with anything that was asked of him.

There is certainly some 3&D potential with Bruan, but there are also some concerns, including his negative wingspan. It’s a rarity for a team to draft a player with a negative wingspan as it’s more often than not a hindrance. There have been some players in recent memories who have succeeded despite their lack of length — J.J. Redick and Tyler Herro. A team would have to be willing to bet that Braun could turn into that type of shooter, though, to feel good about the pick.

While Braun would be interesting for Philadelphia, 23 still feels just a bit too early.

Bryce McGowens – Shooting Guard, Nebraska

One NBA team will bet on Nebraska’s Bryce McGowens, and it may very well pay off. The freshman averaged 16.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game for the Huskers this season. There’s a bit of Kevin Porter Jr. in his game as he is fearless offensively, an underrated passer, and an extremely high flyer. There’s obviously a lot of work to be done before he’s reached that level, though, of course.

While McGowens does have some attractive aspects to his game, there’s a bit too much hero ball in his nature. He takes far too many difficult shots for comfort — likely a necessity at Nebraska—and is a tough watch defensively. Still, he is an intriguing blend of youth, size, and athleticism, but that won’t be enough to make him a sensical pick at 23.

Trevor Keels – Guard, Duke

Finally, this brings us to Duke’s Trevor Keels. Why Keels decided to declare and stay in the draft is certainly an interesting question. It seems rather clear that he would have benefitted from some more time at the collegiate level, but instead, the former Blue Devil opted to bet on himself and see where the draft will take him.

Known as a shooter, Keels struggled from deep in his lone season at Duke. He rarely fouls or turns the ball over, but his shot selection still leaves something left to be desired. Keels’ youth is certainly on his side, but there is still much to develop in his future. If the Philadelphia 76ers trade back or perhaps add a second-round pick, Keels would be interesting, but he likely won’t be selected in the first round, let alone at pick 23.