With the 2026 NBA draft fast approaching, the first round is on June 23, now’s the time to look at some potential options for the Philadelphia 76ers with the No. 22 pick. If one wants to look at Sixers Wire’s draft big board, one can do so 2026 NBA draft profiles: Philadelphia 76ers.
This series will focus on specific players. The Sixers have a first-round pick thanks to the Jared McCain trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder via the Houston Rockets. After a trip to Round 2 of the playoffs, the Sixers have an opportunity to add to the roster and get themselves another talented young piece around Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe for the future.
Next up in this series is Houston big man Chris Cenac Jr.:
Cenac has an NBA-ready body as he is physical, has a ton of strength, has great length, and has elite athleticism. He is a terrific rebounder as he averaged 7.9 rebounds in the 2025-26 season, but that number went up to 12.7 per 40 minutes. Rebounding is his best attribute as he has an ability to really seal a defensive possession with a rebound–something the Sixers struggled with in the 2025-26 season. He isn’t much of a shot blocker as he averaged only 0.5 while in college at Houston, but he was able to make ball-handlers change their shots with his presence on that end.
On the offensive end, he is a finisher. That means he is going to be available for lobs off the pick-and-rolls, which makes life easy for the likes of Maxey, Edgecombe, and whoever is handling the ball in those situations. He also has the potential to be somebody who can score consistently on the low block. He can handle the ball, has strength to overpower defenders, and that gives him a ton of upside in that area.
Due to his offensive game needing some polish, Cenac still has issues on the offensive end. He has a tendency to take some bad shots, but that will change with more time and development as he hones his offensive game. He does need to be more disciplined on the defensive end as he he can get caught ball watching at times, which leads to easy buckets being given up, and his motor is a bit inconsistent. There are times where one wonders where he is and what he’s doing out on the floor.
Philadelphia needs so much help on the glass and that is where Cenac thrives. He has the ability to keep possessions alive with offensive rebounds and he will end a defensive possession with a board. The Sixers could absolutely use a guy like him and he would be in the rotation immediately while Philadelphia continues to work with him on the offensive end and smooth out the rough parts of his game.
