Sixers sign undrafted Champagnie to two-way contract

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CAMDEN, N.J. — Despite trading away their first-round pick in a deal for De’Anthony Melton, the Sixers did pick up some rookies Thursday night — very early Friday morning, technically.

The team is signing Julian Champagnie to a two-way contract, a source confirmed to NBC Sports Philadelphia. PhillyVoice’s Kyle Neubeck first reported the news.

Champagnie measured at 6-6.25 without shoes and 212 pounds at the NBA draft combine. The Brooklyn native averaged 19.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 steals as a junior at St. John’s. 

He made 33.7 percent of his three-point tries, although The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie notes that’s an ungenerous reflection of his shooting ability. 

“A ridiculous 73 percent of his catch-and-shoot opportunities were guarded last season, which meant that he hit only 32 percent in those scenarios,” Vecenie wrote in his 2022 draft guide. “But he’s a better shooter than that. Makes them off relocations and with a hand in his face. Can hit stepbacks going to both his right and to his left.”

Champagnie will turn 21 years old next week. So will his twin brother Justin, a Pitt product who went undrafted and signed a two-way deal with the Raptors last July. 

Charlie Brown Jr. is the other Sixer currently on a two-way contract. The 25-year-old got a shot with his hometown team last year when the Sixers were shorthanded because of COVID-19-related absences and impressed at times with his defensive talent and athleticism. 

“A lot of guys got a chance last year because of COVID and all that, and Charlie really, really helped," Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said during his post-draft press conference. “He showed he can be a defender; that was a big step for him. … We think he’s got a shot. The nice thing is because of COVID, the two-ways get more of a chance to play; there’s (fewer) rules making it hard. So I could see him getting minutes, for sure.”

As two-way players, Brown and Champagnie will be able to play with both the Sixers and Delaware Blue Coats next season. 

Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes reported the Sixers agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract with Georgetown's Aminu Mohammed. 

The team also agreed to a deal with G League Ignite power forward Michael Foster Jr. He's expected to play with the Sixers in summer league, a source said. The Athletic's Shams Charania first reported Foster's agreement with the team. 

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