Philadelphia 76ers Interested In Jamal Murray With First Pick In NBA Draft


The Philadelphia 76ers currently hold the first overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft. Earlier this summer, many people believed that Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram were the only players who were worthy of being selected first overall. Things might not turn out the way people are expecting it to. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the 76ers are interested in selecting Jamal Murray with the first pick the draft. This would be quite the shocker, since most of the NBA mock draft have Simmons going first.

Jamal Murray is one of the most exciting players coming out of the college ranks this summer. He only played one year at the University of Kentucky under head coach John Calipari. Murray averaged 20 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and one steal per game. He shot 45.4 percent from the floor and 50.2 percent from beyond the arc. Murray can play both the point guard and shooting guard positions in the NBA.

NBA rookie Ben Simmons
Ben Simmons [Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images]
John Calipari has some high praise for his former player. He believes that the Philadelphia 76ers should pick Jamal Murray with the first overall selection in the NBA Draft. Murray can stretch the defense and play off the ball. He has all the tools offensively to produce in the National Basketball Association. Some people believe that he can step in right away and contribute to any team that drafts him.

It would make sense for the Philadelphia 76ers to draft Jamal Murray this summer. The 76ers are desperately in need of some guard help on their team. They already have plenty of young promising front court players on their team. Adding Ben Simmons or Brandon Ingram would just add more clutter to the front court. Last season for the 76ers, their biggest weakness on the team was guard play. The starting guards were Ish Smith and Isaiah Canaan. Both of those players are point guards. They are also going to be free agents this summer.

NBA rookie Brandon Ingram
Brandon Ingram [Photo by Sean M Haffey/Getty Images]
The Philadelphia 76ers have a stockpile of front court players on their team. The past three seasons, the 76ers selected big men. They currently have Jahlil Okafor, Nerlens Noel, Joel Embiid, and Dario Saric. Okafor has shown some flashes of being a dominant center in the NBA. Noel can become a very good interior rim protector. Embiid and Saric have yet to play a single game in the National Basketball Association. They are expected to play next season, barring any setbacks.

Many people throughout the season have been saying that Ben Simmons is the clear number one player in this year’s NBA Draft. Some even went so far as to call him the next LeBron James. Simmons has shown some flashes of being as good as James in him. He has the ability to handle the ball, rebound, and get to the rim. He can also play both forwards positions. Simmons’ biggest weakness is shooting the ball outside the paint.

Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor
Jahlil Okafor [Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images]
Another player that is considered to be in the running for being the first player chosen in the draft is Brandon Ingram from Duke. Some people are comparing him to Kevin Durant because of his size and length. Ingram averaged 17.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in his only year at Duke. He has the footwork and shooting ability to make him a really good player in the NBA. Ingram’s biggest weakness is his strength. He can be pushed around in the paint.

The Philadelphia 76ers will have a tough decision on their hands. They have plenty of options for the first overall in this year’s NBA Draft. As of right now, some people might believe that Jamal Murray should be taken with the pick. The 76ers are in dire need of some help at the guard positions. Murray might be able to come in and make an impact for the team.

[Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images]

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