Sixers Rebuild Year Two: A Smashing Success

Apr 8, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard JaKarr Sampson (9) shoots the ball past Washington Wizards forward Otto Porter Jr. (22) during the second half at Wells Fargo Center. The Wizards won 119-90. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Player Development

Brett Brown always talks about the work that gets done behind the scenes at practice, which makes him excited about the future. The work that BB is referring to is player development and this season two players stood out in that particular area.

I’ll never forget when I first watched JaKarr Sampson play a basketball game during the Sixers preseason. I was wondering what could he actually do on an NBA court? He had the body of a wing and could sort of handle the ball, but he could not shoot. He looked lost on the court without any go-to moves. I was confused why he made the team, and as the first couple weeks of the season went by I was lost as to why he was still on the team, like most.

82 regular season games later and who knows what JaKarr Sampson can do well. But his progress since the preseason has helped me understand why the Sixers have kept him around. Sampson finished the season appearing in 74 games, while averaging per game averages of 15.3 minutes and 5.2 points. He shot 42.2 percent from the field and 24.4 percent from beyond the arc. The Sixers used him at point guard in some situations and he improved as the games went on. This dude was a power forward in college. Talk about at ransformation.

The numbers won’t jump at you, but his athleticism and raw talent definitely do. As the season went on, Sampson improved as an on-ball defender and being able to create shots for himself. Look what he could do as the season neared the end:

His progress in his rookie season was interesting to follow. Who thought he would still be on the roster after 82 games, yet starting and playing major minutes. It’s impossible to project whether JaKarr Sampson will stick or be out of the league in a few years, but the Sixers are holding onto him as their project in an attempt to mold him into a legitimate NBA player.

Next: Jerami Grant