2026 NBA mock draft: Sixers select Chris Cenac Jr. at No. 22 overall

[ASFN Admin]

The Philadelphia 76ers will now turn their attention to the offseason as they look to find ways to improve the roster and build off a season in which they went 45-37 and won a playoff series. The Sixers do have the No. 22 pick due to the Jared McCain trade they made with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Sixers could use more depth, young talent, and help in the rebounding department. There are plenty of players in the range at 22 that make sense for those areas, and the team's scouting department will be looking at all the potential options at that pick as the Sixers now move forward.

A mock draft put together by Bleacher Report has the Sixers selecting Chris Cenac Jr. from Houston:

The Sixers need to be thinking about a long-term replacement for Joel Embiid, but they could also use a short-term addition who can slot alongside the former MVP. Cenac might be the single stone that handles both birds.

He has all of the length and hops needed for the interior, but he moves more like a wing and is perfectly comfortable letting it fly from long range. His approach needs some new programming—he can get too jump shot-happy—but he seems capable of contributing in a minor role now and maybe a major one down the line.

Cenac averaged 9.5 points and 7.9 rebounds in the 2025-26 season with Houston. He also shot 33.3% from deep on 2.4 attempts per game so Cenac is somebody who can help right away in a number of areas. If the Sixers were to land him at No. 22, he would be in coach Nick Nurse's rotation from the jump.

This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: 2026 NBA mock draft: Sixers select Chris Cenac Jr. at No. 22 overall

Continue reading...