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Christopher Boan has been covering sports and sports betting for more than seven years, including stops at ArizonaSports.com, the Tucson Weekly and the Green Valley News.
Philadelphia 76ers’ 2025 NBA Draft: What the No. 3 Overall Pick Could Bring
The Keystone State’s NBA team caught a bit of a break in the NBA Draft Lottery, perhaps helping Philadelphia 76ers odds improve in the short term and the long term.
PennStakes.com used Basketball-Reference.com to find the performance of the past 25 players (2000-2024 Draft) selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the NBA Draft. The Philadelphia 76ers will choose in that slot when the draft takes place June 25 in Brooklyn.
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Historical Performance of No. 3 Overall Picks During Career
Situation | Number | Percentage |
Won Rookie of the Year | 3 of 25 | 12.0% |
Made All-NBA Rookie First Team | 15 of 25 | 60.0% |
Made An All-Star Game | 10 of 25 | 40.0% |
Made An All-NBA First Team | 4 of 25 | 16.0% |
Made An All-NBA Defensive Team | 3 of 25 | 12.0% |
Won An MVP | 2 of 25 | 8.0% |
Won An NBA Championship | 5 of 25 | 20.0% |
PennStakes.com offers this analysis and the best PA sportsbook promo codes before, during and after the NBA season.
How Have No. 3 Picks Performed?
In the 21st century, players drafted No. 3 overall have gone on to win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year honor three times: LaMelo Ball (drafted in 2020), Luka Doncic (2018) and Pau Gasol (2002).
Plenty of other standouts have been drafted in that slot, including Sixers star Joel Embiid in 2014. Jayson Tatum (2017) and Jaylen Brown (2016) are among the other future stars selected third overall.
Pennsylvania sports betting operators will have an array of prop wagers for the NBA Draft; some are up now.
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Sixers NBA Draft Results At No. 3 Overall
For Philly, the results of the team’s last two drafts at No. 3 have produced a mixed bag. Embiid has put up 64.9 win shares, according to Basketball Reference data, while making seven All-Star teams. The following year, Philly chose Jahlil Okafor at No. 3; he played three seasons with the Sixers and has bounced around the league since.
Since that 2014 draft that landed Embiid in Philly, No. 3 draft picks have racked up 303.1 win shares in total, averaging 27.6 win shares per draft pick. So Sixers fans and the team’s backers at Pennsylvania sportsbook apps can keep their hopes up that a high-caliber player will still be on the board when the team picks next month.
When broken down by win share totals, Embiid (64.9) beat out Tatum (65.5), Doncic (57.1) and Brown (40.6), giving hoops fans in the City of Brotherly Love hope that 2025 could net the Eastern Conference club another franchise-altering cornerstone when the draft tips off from Brooklyn on June 25.
No. 3 Picks By Year (Since 2014)
- 2024: Reed Sheppard (Houston) – 0.8 Win Shares
- 2023: Scoot Henderson (Portland) – 0.1 WS
- 2022: Jabari Smith Jr. (Houston) – 11.7 WS
- 2021: Evan Mobley (Cleveland) – 28.3 WS
- 2020: LaMelo Ball (Charlotte) – 13.6 WS
- 2019: RJ Barrett (NYK) – 13.3 WS
- 2018: Luka Doncic (Atlanta/Dallas) – 57.1 WS
- 2017: Jayson Tatum (Boston) – 65.5 WS
- 2016: Jaylen Brown (Boston) – 40.6 WS
- 2015: Jahlil Okafor (Philly) – 7.2 WS
- 2014: Joel Embiid (Philly) – 64.9 WS
Stick with PennStakes.com for more insight on NBA betting in Pennsylvania and draft coverage.
USA Today photo by Kyle Ross
Philadelphia 76ers Draft FAQ
Historically, 40% of No. 3 overall picks from 2000 to 2024 (10 of 25) made an NBA All-Star Game. Stars such as Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum and Joel Embiid highlight the strong potential for a No. 3 pick to become a fan favorite and an elite performer.
Only 8% of No. 3 picks (2 of 25) from 2000 to 2024 won an NBA MVP award, with Joel Embiid (2022-23 with the Sixers) and James Harden (2017-18 for the Rockets) achieving this rare feat. While uncommon, a No. 3 pick can become a league-defining talent.
No. 3 picks (2000-2024) boast a 40% All-Star rate, with stars like Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum, James Harden, Joel Embiid and Carmelo Anthony all picked at that spot since 2000.
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