Dec 15, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers resident of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey speaks with the media before a game against the Detroit Pistons at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

76ers Predicted to Make Shocking Pick in 2025 NBA Mock Draft

Originally posted on Philadelphia 76ers on SI
By Justin Grasso | Last updated Jun 7, 2025 1:05 PM ET

Before the Philadelphia 76ers acquired the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, not many questioned the standing of Rutgers wing Ace Bailey as the third-best prospect in the player pool.

Since the Sixers moved up two spots to take the pick on lottery night, Bailey has become the most polarizing prospect in the draft. As a result, Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe has seen a nice jump in interest at No. 3. You can frequently find mock drafts predicting Edgecombe over Bailey to Philadelphia at this point, but Philly Voice’s recent mock effort doesn’t predict the Sixers to take Bailey or Edgecombe.

Instead, PV’s Adam Aaronson predicts the Sixers will make a shocking selection and take on Texas Basketball’s Tre Johnson. Is there skepticism with what could be viewed as a bit of a reach? Sure. After all, Johnson is far from a finished product. But the pros could certainly outweigh the cons.

“He will be a poor NBA defender almost certainly, he needs to become a much more willing driver to round out his scoring arsenal and he is going to have to put on some more bulk to become a viable finisher against NBA competition,” Aaronson wrote of Johnson. “But Johnson is truly a nuclear shooter. Draft expert Ahmed Jama told us last month that Johnson's lone season at Texas was ‘the most impressive jump-shooting season for a freshman since at least the advent of college play-by-play statistics (2010).’”

As a freshman, Johnson started all 33 games he played with Texas. The young guard produced 20 points per game on 43 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent shooting from three.

Before the Sixers saw a jump to pick three, Johnson was a popular mock draft link for Philadelphia, who could’ve landed between four and six. Taking the Texas sharpshooter at three might be viewed as a reach by the public, but not by far.

If Johnson is the player the Sixers project to have the most value beyond Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper, then maybe trading down isn’t such a bad idea. Recently, the Sixers have been rumored to be considering a potential trade-down. And if they do move off the pick, they aren’t expected to go far.

Johnson could certainly be in the mix at No. 3. If they slide back slightly, the chances of the Texas Basketball star going to the City of Brotherly Love would certainly increase greatly.

This article first appeared on Philadelphia 76ers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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