MILWAUKEE — The Philadelphia 76ers have championship aspirations in the 2022-23 season. Therefore, there isn’t much opportunity for a young guy like second-year guard Jaden Springer to get to the court time he needs to develop and grow.
That is why he has mostly been down in the G League with the Delaware Blue Coats. Springer has made an impact, averaging 19 points and 5.2 rebounds in 24 regular-season games to lead Delaware to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference G League playoffs.
Springer has received opportunities recently due to the Sixers being involved in a lot of blowouts, and he has taken advantage of those rare minutes. He also has taken advantage of being around his veteran teammates while in Philadelphia.
“He’s such a good kid in terms of just being a sponge to learn,” Tobias Harris said of Springer. “I think on a team like we have is tough just because of all the guys that we have in talent, but every m time he comes back up from the G League or at practices watching him in the low-minute group and stuff like that, he’s continuing to get better.”
The 20-year-old guard out of Tennessee has continued to impress on the defensive end as he has a lot of length and instincts that are impressive for being such a young kid.
“In training camp, he was doing his thing as well,” Harris continued. “So he continues to just get better defensively, he can guard every position, he’s playing great in the G League and the playoff run right now, but for a young kid, I really think he has a future in this league just because of his ability to learn, how good of a kid he is, and then also his work ethic. I can’t really say enough about how proud and happy I am to see him continue to excel at whatever situation he’s in.”
Harris has always taken younger players under his wing and been something like a big brother. The same has been done for Springer as he helps him take that next step in the league.
“He went to Tennessee so I’ve seen Jaden since he was in ninth grade, but I’m always just in his ear,” Harris finished. “Like when he’s here just telling him keep working, keep being professional, keep working on your skills. We’ve had conversations about his shooting and whatnot. I believe that’s the last piece to his game to really solidify it as being a true player in the league and he’s gonna get there.”
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