The History of the 16th Pick in the NBA Draft

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The Philadelphia Sixers have the 16th pick in this year’s (2024) NBA Draft, which isn’t the best positioning, but still high enough to get a steal in the draft if the right player still remains on the board.

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The NBA Draft is one of, if not the most memorable moment in anyone’s professional Basketball career. Where you are drafted is determined based on what you’ve showcased in college or internationally.

Usually the emphasis of ‘getting the best player’ of the draft is over after the first 10-15 picks, as everyone else is usually written off as mediocre, but that is not always the case. There have been some true professionals that have had a successful career in the NBA despite being drafted outside the lottery (picks 1-14). As we focus on pick #16, there are some notable players who were selected at this position.

The Sixers landed the 16th pick three times in the last 25 years. Last time Philadelphia had the 16th pick was in 2011, where they selected Nikola Vucevic . Three years prior in 2008, they selected Marreese Speights with the 16th pick, and selected Jiri Welsch with the 16th pick in 2002.

Who is the best player to be selected #16 in the NBA Draft?

Metta Sandiford-Artest is arguably the greatest player to be selected with the 16th pick in the NBA draft. Formerly known as Metta World-Peace, Sandiford-Artest has had the most successful career of anyone picked 16th in the draft. Sandiford-Artest went on to make the All-Rookie team in 2000, which led to an incredible year in 2004 where he won Defensive Player of the year, was listed All-NBA and was named an NBA All-star. Sandiford-Artest went on to be apart of four NBA All-Defensive teams before winning his first NBA championship in 2010 with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Source: Robert Gauthier / Getty

As the Sixers have this years (2024) 16th pick, we take a look at some of the 16th pick in the last 25 years of the NBA Draft.

Check out the last 25 ’16th Picks’ in the NBA Draft below!