The 2026 NBA Draft class is loaded with talent, and after acquiring a first-round pick at the NBA Trade Deadline, the Sixers will be watching closely during March Madness. As the team looks to add a young talent, drafting additional depth behind Joel Embiid is certainly not off the table.
Here are some of the top center prospects for Sixers fans to watch in the NCAA Tournament.
Chris Cenac Jr. is a long, fluid, and highly mobile big with a 7'4" wingspan and above‑average coordination for his size. His defensive versatility, rim protection, lateral mobility, and ball‑screen coverage are major selling points. Offensively, he flashes inside‑out scoring, face‑up drives, lob finishing, and improved touch around the rim. His ability to grab‑and‑go in transition and make advanced passes shows real developmental upside.
He still needs to add muscle to his frame in order to handle the physicality of the NBA. His three-point and free-throw shooting haven’t been consistent in his lone year at Houston, and he will need to develop in those areas.
Cenac profiles as a modern hybrid defender, something that the Sixers have lacked behind Joel Embiid. He could even play next to Embiid, especially if he develops his perimeter game. He could develop into a player like Jaren Jackson Jr.
Mara is an elite playmaking big with great passing instincts for his size. He’s a high-IQ big who can facilitate offense from the high post, short-roll, and the elbow. He also offers rim protection and strong rebounding.
Although he is 7’3, he lacks explosion and can be turnover-prone when handling the ball. His lateral mobility raises some questions about how well he can defend in space or play in a high-tempo system.
Mara would give the Sixers something entirely different from Embiid: a massive, playmaking center who could run second‑unit offense through high‑post actions. His short‑roll passing would supercharge bench lineups with cutters and shooters. Defensively, he brings paint deterrence, though the Sixers would need to scheme carefully to cover his lack of foot speed. As a late first‑rounder, he could be a high‑value upside swing.
Veesaar is a mobile, skilled big man with legitimate stretch potential. He shoots with confidence from the mid-range and is improving as a long-range shooter. He can attack closeouts and keep the offense flowing. When he gets to the NBA, he will have to work on finishing through contact and being a physical rebounder.
Veesaar fits seamlessly into modern five‑out offensive systems, which could enhance a pace-and-space attack. His shooting and mobility would pair well with Tyrese Maxey’s dribble‑drive game, offering pick‑and‑pop that current backups Andre Drummond or Adem Bona don’t provide. As a long‑term stretch‑big project trending toward the first round, he could give the Sixers a developmental offensive weapon.
Malachi Moreno is a towering freshman center for the Kentucky Wildcats, the current No. 7 seed in the Midwest Region. Moreno has appeared in 34 games for Kentucky this season, starting in 28 of them. He has been an extremely effective finisher, rebounder and rim protector all season for the Wildcats. With averages of 8.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks, alongside a 58.3 field-goal percentage, Moreno has shown flashes of being a high-efficiency, low-volume offensive player with impressive defensive upside.
With that in mind, Moreno occasionally struggles with matching up against bigger, stronger centers. At 7-feet and 250 pounds, Moreno has a similarly slender frame to what Joel Embiid had coming out of Kansas, albeit with a shorter wingspan. This allows some of the bigger, more developed big men to push him around. Overall, should Moreno have a solid showing throughout March Madness and declare for the draft, he could be a potential target for the Sixers as a developmental prospect with some sound rim-protecting instincts.
The Kentucky Wildcats play the No. 10 seed Santa Clara Broncos on Friday, March 20, for their first March Madness game.
Flory Bidunga is another defense-first center/forward that will be featured this March Madness. Bidunga is currently in his sophomore year for the Kansas Jayhawks and has flourished alongside potential first overall pick Darryn Peterson. This season, Bidunga is currently third on the Jayhawks in scoring and second in minutes played, averaging 13.5 points and 31.6 minutes per night. Bidunga also led his entire conference in both field goal percentage, shooting 64.5% from the field, and blocks per game at 2.6.
While Bidunga is currently undersized as a center, his current lack of three-point shooting may prevent him from playing any other position at the next level. So far in his Kansas career, he has only attempted two three-pointers, missing both. However, his next-level athleticism and defensive prowess could be worth a gamble at the end of the first round, especially if the Sixers move on from pending free agent Andre Drummond in the offseason. If both Kansas and Bidunga end up having a serious run in the tournament, his draft evaluation may continue to increase.
Bidunga and the No. 4 seed Kansas Jayhawks are set to take on the No. 13 seed California Baptist Lancers on Wednesday, March 20.
With several interesting options set to take the floor this week, the NCAA Tournament will offer the Sixers a valuable look at potential fits at center as they prepare for yet another pivotal offseason.
