Sixers Host 6 NBA Draft Prospects Who Hoped to Impress

The Sixers on Thursday hosted a workout for a slew of NBA prospects at PCOM. It was the fourth such workout for the Sixers.

During his first session with the media a few weeks ago, vice president of player personnel Marc Eversley said the team would host "eight to 11" workouts leading up to the draft on June 23.

"You look at the way the roster is composed today, there's certainly a lot of holes that need to be filled," Eversley said on Thursday. "We're doing our due diligence and bringing in as many guys as possible. 

"We need to make sure we make the right selections. We need to bring in as many players as possible and evaluate them, not only on the court but off the court as well."

Here's a look at the players the Sixers looked at Thursday:

Isaia Cordinier, G, France, (6-5/180)
Cordinier is the most intriguing prospect the Sixers hosted on Thursday. He'll likely go somewhere in the second round, but his goal is to go in the first. 

The 19-year-old Frenchman is an explosive athlete who plays with great energy. His jump shot is improving but still has a ways to go. He contributes his NBA readiness to playing professionally overseas.

"I play with grown men," Cordinier said. "They are 30, 35. They are very experienced. Their bodies are finished. I can learn a lot. The (basketball) IQ, the read of the defense."

Although Cordinier — who sounds like he's reading French poetry when he pronounces his name — would like the opportunity to play in the NBA next season, he didn't rule out the possibility of staying in France for another year. That could make him attractive to the Sixers as a "stash" player they could take with the 26th pick and let develop overseas.

Cordinier has workouts with the Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors and New Orleans Pelicans lined up.

Brandon Austin, G, Northwestern Florida State, (6-6/180)
The Philly native is talented but has a troubled past. He was dismissed by both Providence and Oregon after he was accused of sexual assault in two separate incidents while attending those schools. He wasn't charged in either incident, but he acknowledged his reputation took a hit in the court of public opinion.

The Imhotep alumnus was just grateful for the chance to show his skills to the team he grew up rooting for.

"First thing I did was I looked at all the banners and all the legends," Austin said. "It's a dream come true and I'm thankful for the opportunity."

Watching Austin during the session, you can see what Providence and Oregon saw in the 6-foot-6 guard. Twice during a 3-on-3 session Austin used a quick jab step to create space and nail a midrange jumper. He has questions to answer but his skill set is evident.

Austin has workouts set up with the Raptors on June 6 and New York Knicks on June 10.

Alex Poythress, F, Kentucky, (6-8/230)
Poythress took an odd path for a player so highly recruited. He committed to Kentucky after being named Mr. Basketball for the state of Tennessee and receiving McDonald's All-American honors. He struggled with injuries and was overshadowed by NBA-caliber talent. 

Poythress isn't extraordinarily skilled, but he's strong, physical and smart. Very smart. He actually already graduated from Kentucky last year and is two classes away from getting his Masters in Sports Leadership.

He's also self-aware. Having played with superstars at Kentucky, Poythress is ready to be the kind of player every NBA team needs to fill out its bench.

"Every team needs role players," Poythress said. "You need to know your role coming in from the start. I'm just trying to make my teammates' jobs easier by whatever I'm doing."

He's got workouts set up with eight or nine teams, including a trip to Los Angeles next to work out for the Lakers and Clippers. 

Daniel Hamilton, G/F, UConn, (6-7/195)
Hamilton is a Swiss army knife on the basketball court. He chose to declare for the draft early after putting on 27 pounds of muscle while at UConn.

Hamilton has an intriguing skill set. He has the ability to handle and distribute the basketball (4.2 assists per game) but has great size and strength, which makes him a tremendous rebounder on the wing (8.3 rebounds per game). 

Hamilton is the youngest of six. His brother Jordan is currently playing for the New Orleans Pelicans. It's been advantageous for the youngest Hamilton to glean from his big brother's experience.

"My brother went through an NBA combine and NBA workouts so he said you got to be [in shape]," Hamilton said. "This is my third workout in a row and I think I'm in good condition to be able to do these workouts."

Hamilton is flying out to Los Angeles to work out for both the Lakers and Clippers.

Rosco Allen, F, Stanford, (6-9/220)
A native of Budapest, Hungary, Allen came to the States around the time he was in middle school. The redshirt junior isn't quite done school yet (Stanford is on the quarters system) and is actually planning to write a 5 to 10 page paper on his plane ride from Philly to L.A. Thursday. (He's a Science, Technology and Society major, if you're wondering.)

Aside from being smart, Allen flashed his ability to shoot and excel in pick and roll situations during the 3-on-3 portion. As his offensive skills developed, his role at Stanford increased to the point where he became the team's leading scorer during the 2015-16 season.

"Every year, I felt like I got a little better," Allen said, "more involved in the offense as I got older. Coach gave me more responsibility and I felt like a stepped up."

Allen will also work out for the Sacramento Kings, Celtics and Lakers.

Alex Caruso, PG, Texas A&M, (6-5/183)
If Caruso is to earn an NBA paycheck, it'll be on the defensive end of the floor. He's Texas A&M's all-time steals leader and was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year last season. At 6-foot-5, he has the size to give opposing point guards a hard time.

"Defense is all just competitiveness and want-to, really," Caruso said. "Obviously you have to have the physical tools. If you're on the team you're gonna have them. Just having the desire to not let the opponent score."

Caruso will work out for the Washington Wizards, Knicks and Celtics.