June 1, 2026, 2:10 p.m. ET
With the 2026 NBA draft fast approaching, the first round is on June 23, now’s the time to look at some potential options for the Philadelphia 76ers with the No. 22 pick. If one wants to look at Sixers Wire’s draft big board, one can do so here.
This series will focus on specific players. The Sixers have a first-round pick thanks to the Jared McCain trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder via the Houston Rockets. After a trip to Round 2 of the playoffs, the Sixers have an opportunity to add to the roster and get themselves another talented young piece around Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe for the future.
Up next in this series is Duke guard Isaiah Evans:
Strengths
An elite shooter, Evans has a lot of gravity on the offensive end of the floor. He shot 36.1% from deep overall on the season, but that number shot up to 39.3% when he played in conference play against some tough ACC opponents. He moves well without the basketball, attracts a ton of attention, and will knock down shots with ease if he is left open–which happens often. One can envision him making a big impact next to somebody like Joel Embiid and making life easier for Maxey.
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He has a ton of length and a high basketball IQ, which allows him to handle the ball and be another player who can run some offense. The Sixers could always use another shooter who can put the ball on the floor and make life easier for everybody, and Evans certainly fits that bill. He is also competitive enough on the defensive end, where he can help on that end and not be picked on by opponents.
Evans does rely heavily on catch-and-shoot opportunities, which exposes a bit of lack of self-creation. That will have to be developed over time in the gym and working with coaches, but it is a skill that can be taught. In terms of his jumper, while he is one of the better shooters in this draft, he is a bit streaky. He will have some cold spells, but when he is in rhythm, he is rather tough to stop, which makes him extremely tough to stop on the offensive end of the floor. His selection would come down to whether the Sixers can live with his cold spells when they come around.
Potential fit on the Sixers
All of this leads to what does his fit with the Sixers look like? He is somebody who can fill it up in an instant, which is attractive in today’s NBA when considering the importance of 3-point shooting. Philadelphia also needs help off its bench unit, which should make somebody like Evans an attractive player in the late first round of the draft. He can put the ball in the basket and his shooting gravity would make life easier for Maxey, Edgecombe, Embiid, and Paul George.