Chris Cenac Jr. Is HoopsHype's 2026 No. 22 Pick and Philly's Already Sweating It

Alright, Emerald City fam, buckle up, because even while we're living and breathing every single Mariners pitch at T-Mobile and counting down the days to Seahawks camp at Lumen Field, some corners of the NBA world are already peering into the very distant future of 2026. Seriously! HoopsHype, those mock draft mavens, just dropped a prediction that has the Philadelphia 76ers, way out on the East Coast, targeting Houston big man Chris Cenac Jr. with the No. 22 pick in that upcoming draft. You gotta wonder, why the urgency two years out? But for the folks in Philly, with Draft Night on June 23rd just around the corner, this isn't just a fantasy, it's a full-on scouting mission.

Who is This Chris Cenac Jr. Everyone's Talking About?

So, who exactly is this guy who’s supposedly got Philly’s attention? We’re talking about Chris Cenac Jr., a big man out of Houston. If the Sixers grab him at No. 22, he's not expected to be some project, either. The word is he’d slide into a rotation player spot right away at the next level. Now, looking at his numbers from Houston, he put up a solid 9.5 points per game and snatched down 7.9 rebounds. That’s nearly a double-double, which is nothing to sneeze at for a college big. He shot a pretty efficient 48.5% from the floor, too. Here’s the catch, though, for those who love the long ball: he’s apparently not much of a 3-point shooter. But hey, a versatile big who can do a lot of different things on the floor is still valuable, right?

Why Philly's Already Drafting a Backup Big Man

Why would a team like the Sixers be looking so far ahead for a big man at No. 22, especially when they have Joel Embiid, a phenomenal talent? Well, even with Embiid on the roster, the big fella has had some real issues staying on the floor consistently. That's a huge problem for any championship contender. So, it makes sense they’d be trying to fortify that second unit, right? New President of Basketball Operations Mike Gansey, along with his entire staff, is tasked with addressing some key needs heading into the summer. They're reportedly looking for help on the glass, help off the bench, and generally trying to make that bench unit rock solid. Picking up a guy like Cenac Jr. who can contribute immediately as a backup big makes a lot of sense in that context, especially with the draft coming up on June 23rd. Gansey's apparently turning over every rock to make sure they get this right.

So, while the 76ers front office is deep in the weeds, pondering the fate of the No. 22 pick for 2026 and whether Chris Cenac Jr. is their guy to patch up those bench and rebounding needs, let's keep our eyes on what truly matters to us. We’ve got Cal Raleigh throwing out runners and Julio Rodriguez blasting dingers for our Mariners every single night in this early season, showing us what true grit looks like. And soon enough, Sam Darnold will be slinging it to Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp at Seahawks camp under Coach Macdonald. That's the real fire, the real passion we live for, not some mock draft for another team two years from now. Let's go, Seattle!

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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.