Daryl Morey’s full history of 1st-round draft picks originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Until Monday night, Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey’s extensive NBA experience had not included the draft lottery.
He has no plans on being a repeat guest.
“That was one thing (Sixers general manager Elton Brand) and I said after the evening: ‘Let’s just never come back here.’ That was my first lottery. I hope it’s my last lottery,” Morey said on the Takeoff with John Clark podcast.
While Morey is unaccustomed to owning high picks, his draft track record does span nearly two decades. With the Sixers set at No. 3, here’s Morey’s full history in the first round:
2007: Aaron Brooks, 26th overall
Brooks was the 2007 draft’s smallest player at 5-foot-10 without shoes and 161 pounds. He became the Rockets’ full-time starting point guard by the middle of his second season and had a big Year 3, earning the NBA’s Most Improved Player award by averaging 19.6 points and 5.3 assists. Morey traded Brooks to the Suns in exchange for Goran Dragic and a first-round pick at the 2011 trade deadline.
2008: Nicolas Batum, 25th overall (traded)
Batum moved to the Trail Blazers in a three-team draft-night deal that sent Donté Greene and Joey Dorsey to the Rockets. Fifteen years later, Batum suited up for Morey’s Sixers.
2010: Patrick Patterson, 14th overall
Patterson developed into a stretch four with Houston. The Kentucky product averaged 8.4 points and 4.3 rebounds during his Rockets tenure.
2011: Marcus Morris, 14th overall
As a rookie, Morris played for Rio Grande Valley Vipers head coach Nick Nurse in the D League. The two were together again on the 2023-24 Sixers.
2011: Nikola Mirotic, 23rd overall (traded)
The rights to Mirotic were traded twice on draft night — first from the Rockets to the Timberwolves, then from Minnesota to the Bulls. He left Real Madrid and joined the NBA three years later.
2012: Jeremy Lamb, 12th overall
Houston slid up from No. 14 to No. 12 through a trade with the Bucks. Lamb didn’t last long there, since Morey put him in his 2012 deal to acquire James Harden.
2012: Royce White, 16th overall
White had disputes with the Rockets on how to accommodate his anxiety disorder, which included a fear of flying. He played three career NBA games, none for Houston.
2012: Terrence Jones, 18th overall
Jones made 180 of his 234 NBA appearances with the Rockets. The lefty power forward posted 10.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.
2014: Clint Capela, 25th overall
Capela grew into a key piece of the Rockets’ core and frequent recipient of Harden’s lobs. Now 30 years old, he’s averaged a double-double (12.0 points and 10.5 rebounds) in the NBA.
2015: Sam Dekker, 18th overall
Montrezl Harrell was the 32nd pick in the same draft. Both Dekker and Harrell headed to the Clippers in Morey’s 2017 trade for Chris Paul.
2020: Tyrese Maxey, 21st overall
Five years after his last first-rounder, Morey was thrilled that Maxey slipped to No. 21. He’s one of four players to have made an All-Star Game from the 2020 draft class.
2021: Jaden Springer, 28th overall
At 22 years old, Springer is on his third NBA team in the Jazz.
2022: David Roddy, 23rd overall
The Sixers used the 23rd pick and Danny Green to pick up De’Anthony Melton. Roddy actually wound up playing three games for the injury-cursed Sixers last season.
2024: Jared McCain, 16th overall
Before he suffered a season-ending left lateral meniscus tear, McCain’s play was one of very few positives for the 2024-25 Sixers. The team also appears to have done quite well after the first round with No. 41 pick Adem Bona and undrafted wing Justin Edwards.
