Sixers 2008 Draft Center

The Draft Night Squad

"With the 16th pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers select..."

It is this simple, straightforward phrase that will come from NBA Commissioner David Stern that fills the thoughts of Sixers fans who hold the NBA Draft so close to their heart. For the weeks that lead up to this moment, fans continuously pore over a plethora of prospects and speculate on which one will be announced as the newest member of the team.

Coming off their first post-season appearance since the 2004-05 season, the current Sixers squad was largely constructed via picks and transactions executed during previous NBA Draft nights. In fact, seven of the nine Sixers who played over 1,000 minutes this season were acquired by the team on draft night. A young, energetic squad has been built into a postseason team as a result of the due-diligence put in by the team’s front office, which has always been active on draft night in order to obtain the players they have targeted. From the coach to the players, here is how the Sixers used draft night to shape their current fast-paced, high-energy team:

1978 NBA Draft - Round 2, Pick 36
MAURICE CHEEKS, West Texas State

Current Sixers Head Coach Maurice Cheeks spent the first 11 seasons of his 15-year NBA career in Philadelphia. The four-time All-Star and five-time All-Defensive Team selection led the Sixers in assists in all 11 seasons and in steals his first 10. The lasting image of Cheeks’ fast break dunk at the end Game 4 of the 1983 NBA Finals, which capped the Championship for the Sixers, is an indelible part of Philadelphia sports history. The Sixers guard averaged 11.1 points, 6.7 assists and 2.1 steals during his tenure as an NBA player. Cheeks is currently fourth on the NBA’s all-time steals list (2,310) and ninth on the all-time assists list (7,392). He was a four-year starter and a three-time MVP at West Texas State before making his rounds to the NBA.

2001 NBA Draft - Round 1, Pick 26
SAMUEL DALEMBERT, Seton Hall

After a two-year absence from the NBA Playoffs, Samuel Dalembert helped lead the Sixers back to the post-season during the 2007-08 season. In the six post-season games this past year, Dalembert averaged 9.0 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.67 blocks. The sixth-year veteran was one of nine NBA players to average a point-rebound double-double this season, while ranking third in the NBA in total blocks (192), fourth in blocks per game (2.34) and eighth in rebounds per game (10.4). The Sixers center has recorded over 120 blocks in each season since the 2003-04 season. Despite playing only two seasons at Seton Hall, Dalembert is currently the program’s all-time leader in blocks (167) while also ranking second in career field-goal percentage (53.6 percent). He was named to the Big East All-Rookie Team in 1999-00.

2003 NBA Draft - Round 2, Pick 41
(acquired on draft night from Seattle)
WILLIE GREEN, University of Detroit

Willie Green, who was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics with the 41st overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, was shipped to the Sixers for Paccelis Morlende and cash considerations in a draft night trade. Offensively speaking, Green had his best season during the 2007-08 campaign after averaging career-highs of 12.4 points per game on 43.6 percent shooting.

2004 NBA Draft - Round 1, Pick 9
ANDRE IGUODALA, Arizona

Looking back at Andre Iguodala’s four-year career up to this point, it may have been the 2007-08 season that truly solidified his eminence in the NBA. After career-bests in points per game (19.9 ppg; 28th in NBA), steals per game (2.09 spg; sixth in NBA) and total steals (171; third in the NBA), the 6-6 wingman helped guide the Sixers back to the playoffs. Iguodala led the team in scoring, steals and minutes (39.5 mpg; sixth in the NBA), while also ranking second in assists (4.8 apg; 26th in the NBA) and third in rebounds (5.4 rpg). After two years at the University of Arizona, Iguodala immediately took on an active role in the Sixers starting lineup. He played and started in every game during the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons and at the 2006 All-Star Weekend, Iguodala was named MVP of the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge while also finishing second in the Sprite Rising Stars Slam Dunk Competition. Among his many achievements at Arizona, Iguodala received All-Pac-10 Team and Pac-10 All-Freshmen Team honors.

2005 NBA Draft - Round 2, Pick 45
LOU WILLIAMS, South Gwinnett HS (GA)

Lou Williams, who entered the league as the seventh-youngest player in the NBA, made momentous strides in his third season during the 2007-08 campaign. He notched career-bests in points (11.5), assists (3.2), rebounds (2.1), steals (1.0), free throw percentage (78.3 percent), three-point percentage (35.9 percent) and minutes (23.3). As a result of Williams’ production this past season, he led all reserves in steals while scoring the fourth-most points, distributing the second-most assists and recording the third-most free throw attempts among all reserves. Williams tallied 2-plus steals 22 times this season, while ranking 15th in the NBA in points per 48 minutes (25.7) and 17th in steals per 48 minutes (2.14). The 2005 Naismith Award winner was a McDonald’s All-American and a two-time Mr. Basketball in the state of Georgia.

2006 NBA Draft - Round 1, Pick 16
(acquired on draft night from Chicago)
RODNEY CARNEY, Memphis

As the 16th overall selection in the 2006 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls, Rodney Carney was acquired on draft night by the Sixers along with the Bulls 2007 second-round pick and cash considerations in exchange for Thabo Sefolosha. A huge part of the Sixers mid-season stretch this past year, Carney played significant minutes in the latter part of the season. The second-year pro shot 44.3 percent from the field in the final 34 games, while recording 10-plus points in 12 of the final 36 games. In the remaining 18 games, Carney shot 44.6 percent from beyond the arc and in those games, he connected on 25 three-pointers. Prior to the start of the 2007-08 season, Carney averaged 17.6 points and 2.6 rebounds during the 2007 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Looking back at Carney’s four-year stint at Memphis, the 6-7 forward is currently the program’s all-time leader in career three-pointers made (287) while ranking third in career points (1,901).

2007 NBA Draft - Round 1, Pick 12
THADDEUS YOUNG, Georgia Tech

A year removed from the college rankings, Thaddeus Young has already proved that he is ready for the competitive level of the NBA. Young was first among rookie qualifiers in field-goal percentage (53.9 percent), second in steals (0.99 spg), 11th in points (8.2 ppg) and 11th in rebounds (4.2 rpg). In 22 starts, the Sixers rookie averaged 10.6 points and 5.0 rebounds and in the final four games of the season, he reached double-digits on each occasion for an average of 16.3 points during that span. In the final 50 games of the season, Young registered 10-plus points 28 times and in the final 31 games, he averaged 1.39 steals per game. Young became the fifth George Tech player to leave after his freshman season and while at the University, he averaged 14.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.29 steals.

2007 NBA Draft - Round 1, Pick 20
(acquired from Miami on draft night)
JASON SMITH, Colorado State

The Miami Heat, who originally drafted Jason Smith with the 20th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, traded him to the Sixers on draft night in exchange for the draft rights to Daequan Cook, the Sixers 2009 second-round pick and cash considerations. Smith, who was also brought in with Young as one of two first-round draft picks, appeared in 76 games with averages of 4.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 0.66 blocks. Smith went on to shoot 45.5 percent from the field and was second on the team in blocks. He scored a career-high 12 points in two home games against Portland in November and Boston in March. In the 2007 NBA Summer League and the Rocky Mountain Revue, Smith averaged 9.9 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists in nine total games. During his three seasons at Colorado State, Smith was a two-time First Team All-Mountain West Conference honoree during his sophomore and junior seasons. The MWC Freshman of the Year completed his career with 24 double-doubles, marking the second-most in the program’s history.