By Josh Liddick, Sports Talk Philly editor 
Lonnie Walker IV has so many roots in the Philadelphia area, especially since growing up in nearby Reading, Pa, just about 60 miles northwest. On Monday, just 10 days from the 2018 NBA Draft, Walker had a pre-draft workout scheduled with the Sixers at their practice facility in Camden.
The 19-year-old small forward played one season at Miami following an extremely successful four-year high school career at Reading High School, leading the oldest high school basketball program in Pennsylvania to its first state championship his senior year. Aside from the elusive state title, Walker passed former Sixer Donyell Marshall as the Red Knights' all-time leading scorer earlier in the year.
It's no secret that working out with the team that you rooted for your entire life is an experience you could only dream of as a young kid. Getting drafted by that team is a whole other story and Walker could have that chance next Thursday.
. @lonniewalker_4 said he has always been a Sixers fan, growing up in Reading, PA: "Julius Erving was my first favorite player ever. Then Allen Iverson was my end-all, be-all, top player, greatest player in the world.”
— Jessica Camerato (@JCameratoNBCS) June 11, 2018
So if the Sixers do end up taking a chance on Lonnie Walker IV with their 10th overall selection, just how well would he fit the team? NBC Sports Philadelphia's Jessica Camerato talked with the lottery hopeful.
"Great. They're a very fast-paced team, defensive team. They're a pass-first, very unselfish team. They have speed and agility up and down the court, so their style of play kinda fits my style of play. It's kinda too good to be true.
Walker has already shown his abilities and the way he plays his brand of basketball in the short amount of time he played at Miami last season. He has an ability to create space, make shots from the outside, and play defense in a "three-and-D" kind of way. His size, speed, and agility fit what the Sixers are looking for perfectly in every way whether that player is taken through the draft or free agency.
The bottom line for the case for the Sixers to take hometown kid Lonnie Walker IV with the No. 10 pick is that he might be considered a stretch at the end of the day. He's projected to be a lottery pick in almost every expert's mock draft, but never going as high as 12th.
Walker told Camerato just how "surreal" it was to work out with his favorite childhood team on Monday morning.
"Honestly, it's very surreal," Walker said. "You know, growing up you're about 45 minutes from here, you watch almost every basketball game. The pride that this city brings to the 76ers, it's kinda similar to back home in Reading, Pennsylvania. The pride of our basketball teams, so it's amazing, it's beautiful. Once I came to this gym and saw it said '76ers,' I was just like 'wow.'"
A lot of Sixers fans, at least on Twitter, have been really high on the prospects of Lonnie Walker IV playing for the Sixers next season. There are people out there that believe he may even be a better pick than both Mikal and Miles Bridges at that position. Walker may be a young gun, but the potential and ceiling he has as a member of the Sixers is insanely high.
We'll know by next week who the Sixers plan on making their 10th overall pick.
In addition to Walker, the other high-profile draft prospect the Sixers worked out with on Monday afternoon was Miles Bridges, the small forward from Michigan State.
Camerato asked Bridges, the 6-7 small forward, how well he thought he would fit in with the Sixers if they called his name next Thursday night.
"I think I can fit in pretty well. It's just a fast, fast-paced team. Play great defense, great offense, I think I can fit in really well with them."
Although Miles Bridges isn't as highly touted of a pick as Mikal Bridges is from that position, he still is an intriguing option for the Sixers.
Miles Bridges thinks he can fit in well with the Sixers, and offers his vote of confidence for Brett Brown. pic.twitter.com/LtscDivJ69
— Dennis Chambers (@DennisChambers_) June 11, 2018
