Potential Sixers undrafted player profiles: Kendric Davis is versatile
The Philadelphia 76ers do not have a draft pick in the 2023 NBA draft on June 22. They traded their first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets in the deal that brought James Harden to the City of Brotherly Love at the 2022 deadline, and they were docked second-round picks in 2023 and 2024 by the NBA for tampering.
However, that doesn’t mean the Sixers will or should be inactive around the draft process. There will be a number of talented players who go undrafted, meaning the Sixers should be able to add a young player who could potentially become a rotation piece.
One should not brush off undrafted players. The Miami Heat, who are in the NBA Finals, are a prime example of investing in young talent and giving them time to develop. They have seven undrafted players on their roster, four in their regular rotation.
Memphis guard Kendric Davis is the second player Sixers Wire is profiling as part of the next wave of young talent in the NBA that could end up in Philadelphia.
Strengths
Standing at just 5-foot-11, Davis was a fifth-year senior at Memphis and he averaged 21.9 points and 5.4 assists while shooting 34.6% from deep. He was named the 2022 AAC Player of the Year while he was at SMU. Davis has a tight handle and can get to the basket due to his elite athleticism. He’s great in transition due to his playmaking ability and his ball-handling ability allows him to run the pick-and-roll efficiently.
He’s extremely quick, he can run the two-man game, and he has the potential to be a solid shooter from deep which would keep defenses honest. Davis can be a really solid player in the NBA with development and work.
Weaknesses
Going back to the smallish frame, Davis will likely have a tough time adjusting on the defensive end. That doesn’t mean he can’t be a good defender, but it will certainly take time for him to become helpful on that end of the floor.
In order to do so, Davis will have to get stronger. At this point, bigger and stronger NBA players will be able to take him off the dribble and easily get to the basket. That’s something he will have to take care of as he moves forward as a player.
Mock projection
At the moment, the latest mock draft from Rookie Wire does not have Davis being selected. That means he will be available for the Sixers to look into after the draft and he would at least be worth a look for their summer league team in July.
