The Philadelphia 76ers are set to go on the clock at No. 22 in the 2026 NBA Draft. They will make their selection with the Houston Rocketsâ pick.
Being so deep in the first round, the Sixers have seen their fair share of variety when it comes to prospects they are linked to.
In Bleacher Reportâs latest NBA mock draft put together by Zach Buckley, the Sixers select Arizonaâs Koa Peat.
NBA Mock Draft 2026: Sixers Select 19-Year-Old Arizona Star At No. 22
GettyINDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – APRIL 04: Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats in action against the Michigan Wolverines during the second half in the Final Four of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 04, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
âIt’ll take the right kind of roster to bring the best out of Peat, who meets more the traditional definition of a power forward and not the modern one that often implies some shotmaking and ball-handling,â Buckley wrote of Peat.
Considering Peat was initially viewed as a potential lottery pick, Buckley suggests the Sixers just might get a steal at No. 22. Theyâve gotten lucky like that before.
GettySAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 28: Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats reacts during the second half of a game against the Purdue Boilermakers in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 28, 2026 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
In 2020, Tyrese Maxey was viewed as a lottery pick coming out of Kentucky. He fell into the Sixersâ lap at No. 21.
While the 76ers understand that hitting on Maxey that late into the draft was like winning a lottery on its own, their solid history of drafting can keep the fan base confident heading into the June 23 event.
Koa Peatâs Journey To The NBA
GettySAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 26: Koa Peat #10 of the Arizona Wildcats dunks the ball against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
The 19-year-old out of Arizona is a former five-star recruit.
Coming out of Gilbert, Arizona, Peat was viewed as a top-five recruit in the country.
He played his college hoops at Arizona, and heâll be a one-and-done prospect. During his freshman effort, Peat started 36 games, averaging 27.8 minutes on the court.
Peat shot 52.8% from the field, averaging 14.1 points per game. He also came down with 5.6 rebounds per game and dished out 2.6 assists per game.
If the 76ers make Peat the pick, he would be the first selection of the Mike Gansey and Jameer Nelson era.
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