Daryl Morey’s full 1st-Round draft resume, from Aaron Brooks to Jared McCain

Daryl Morey’s finally landed a top-3 pick. It only took 18 years.

Now running the show in Philadelphia, Morey and the Sixers are sitting on the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the highest he’s ever had.

Even without high lottery real estate, Morey’s left a significant mark on first rounds across his executive career — sometimes with hidden gems, sometimes with short-lived stints, and plenty of trades.

Sixers “Expected” to listen to trades for No. 3 Pick… Daryl Morey can not screw this up

Here’s the complete rundown of Daryl Morey’s first-round draft history since becoming a GM in 2007:

2007: Aaron Brooks (26th overall)
Tiny by NBA standards (5’10”, 161 lbs), Brooks blossomed into the NBA’s Most Improved Player in 2010, averaging 19.6 points and 5.3 assists. Morey flipped him for Goran Dragic and a first-rounder in 2011. Solid value late in the round.

2008: Nicolas Batum (25th overall – traded)
Batum was dealt on draft night to Portland in a three-team deal. Full circle moment: he eventually ended up on the Sixers under Morey 15 years later.

2010: Patrick Patterson (14th overall)
Decent rotation stretch four for Houston. Never a star, but gave them serviceable minutes and spacing.

2011: Marcus Morris (14th overall)
He cut his teeth in the D League under a young coach named Nick Nurse. Small world — the two reunited in Philly in 2023-24.

2011: Nikola Mirotic (23rd overall – traded)
Moved on draft night. He didn’t hit the NBA until 2014 with the Bulls after staying overseas with Real Madrid.

2012: Jeremy Lamb (12th overall)
Didn’t last long in Houston — he was part of the deal that brought James Harden to the Rockets. Morey likely doesn’t regret that one.

2012: Royce White (16th overall)
This one didn’t work out. White played just three NBA games, none for Houston, amid disputes over his mental health accommodations.

2012: Terrence Jones (18th overall)
One of three 1st-rounders Morey took that year. Jones had some solid years in Houston, averaging double figures and playing in 180 games for the team.

2014: Clint Capela (25th overall)
One of Morey’s better hits. Capela became a key lob threat and rebound machine next to Harden during Houston’s deep playoff runs.

2015: Sam Dekker (18th overall)
Didn’t do much in Houston, but he and Montrezl Harrell were part of the package used to acquire Chris Paul in 2017. A means to an end.

2020: Tyrese Maxey (21st overall)
The crown jewel of Morey’s recent draft work. Maxey is now an All-Star and cornerstone piece for the Sixers — a massive steal at No. 21.

2021: Jaden Springer (28th overall)
Never quite cracked the rotation. Springer’s now on his third team at just 22 years old.

2022: David Roddy (23rd overall – traded)
Roddy was moved along with Danny Green for De’Anthony Melton — a move that brought Philly a productive two-way guard. Roddy ended up making a brief stop in Philly anyway during last season’s injury crisis.

2024: Jared McCain (16th overall)
McCain showed promise before a meniscus tear ended his rookie season early. He still looks like a long-term rotation player — if not more — once fully healthy.

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Now with the No. 3 pick in hand, Morey’s about to make the most important draft choice of his career. No second-round flyers, no fringe-lottery value grabs. This time, it’s a potential franchise-changer.

After nearly two decades of navigating the middle and back of the first round, Morey’s sitting at the big boy table. He says he hopes to never be back in the lottery. What he does next will go a long way toward making sure that’s true.

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