Head Coach Brett Brown loved the potential of JaKarr Sampson. But the legacy of JaKarr Sampson is not meaningless. It gives Brown the perfect template to integrate either Ben Simmons or Brandon Ingram.
His name was JaKarr Sampson.
He is a 6’9″ versatile wing with a 6’11” wing span who won over head coach Brett Brown. He arrived to the Philadelphia 76ers to start the 2014-2015 season, another one of Sam Hinkie’s undrafted “finds”. The rookie forward came from St. John’s, with Sampson becoming one of the Sixers’ most pleasant surprises for that year. That was the year the team had to await the return to health of Joel Embiid and the return to the US by Dario Saric.
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Sampson was here and healthy and filled one of the vacant roster spots.
But he quickly demonstrated to the team that he could be a versatile guard who could develop a three-point shot. Despite arriving undrafted, he immediately won over the Sixers’ coaching staff with his defense and willingness to do anything.
Sampson played point guard, shooting guard and small forward in his rookie season. Notably, Sampson showed potential at point guard where his 6-foot-9, 220 pound frame was an asset on defense. He could deliver rebounds, and his versatility camouflaged the raw state of his talents.
His spirit was indominatable, a point that caught the eye of his head coach Brett Brown who spoke of the young man with reverance:
"“[He]JaKarr stands out. You look at the multiple positions he has played. And he comes with a tremendous spirit.” — Brett Brown, April 16, 2015"
In the most unkind twists of fate, it was JaKarr Sampson who was cut to make room for the anticipated arrival of Joel Anthony in a trade intended to absorb cap space for the price of a draft pick. That trade never happened, and the future of JaKarr Sampson was claimed by the Denver Nuggets.
The Philadelphia 76ers are waiving JaKarr Sampson, league sources tell @TheVertical. The Sixers needed to create spot for Joel Anthony.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 18, 2016
In short, the team never had the chance to make use of the unique versatility of Sampson. But then a funny thing happened…
Next: Ingram Is the Perfect Chapter II to Sampson's Chapter I
Ingram Is the Perfect Chapter II to Sampson’s Chapter I
The Philadelphia 76ers have the top choice of the 2016 NBA draft, and have the difficult choice to make over the pair of either wing Brandon Ingram or forward Ben Simmons.
Brandon Ingram is an incredible talent arriving to the NBA. He is a shooting savant, capable of plugging in to either the small forward or the shooting guard roles. While Ingram’s expertise is in scoring, creating shots on his own, and scoring, he offers versatility to the Philadelphia 76ers in a way very similar to the likes of JaKarr Sampson.
Air Alamo
Ingram stand 6’9″ and is a versatile wing, equpped with a 7’3″ wing span. Where he can be substituted into the Philadelphia 76ers lineup in place of Sampson and replace his tenacity, spirit and defensive presence, he brings so very much more offense.
Ingram is that scoring threat whose absence from the Philadelphia 76ers roster has gone so long that we’ve almost forgotten what that can do for an overall team’s production. His long arms will give him plenty of upside to replace Sampson’s defense, and likely deliver tougher resistance to opposing players.
But it is the experience of Sampson with the team, that initiative to play out to the small forward position all the way down to the point guard role which truly sets the stage on the 76ers for Ingram. And that experience, which proved to be positive to both team and player, sets the stage for the Sixers to remain extremely confident in their ability to harness and develop the full talents of this offensive juggernaut.
Next: JaKarr Sampson Taught Us A Lesson
JaKarr Sampson Taught Us A Lesson
The preponderance of evidence from virtually every source I’ve encountered suggests that Ben Simmons will be a forward for the Philadelphia 76ers. But from the moment I reviewed the history of JaKarr Sampson with the Philadelphia 76ers, I am forced to stop dead in my tracks and ask one simple question.
Why?
Pelican Debrief
JaKarr Sampson was a forward by dimensions and by experience, but when the Philadelphia 76ers lost their then point guard Tony Wroten to injury after starting point guard Michael Carter-Williams was traded, there were few options. It was never the ideal situation for the team to move Sampson to the point, but necessity is the mother of invention. The Sixers literally threw JaKarr Sampson into a starting point guard role with no warning, entirely from scratch.
Though Sampson didn’t make any highlight reels for his play at point guard, he didn’t embarrass himself, either. In fact, Sampson actually held his own, facing experienced opponents, and showed that he has a place in the NBA, or, in the very least, with the Sixers. His height and long wing span actually were a twist that most point guards had little experience playing against. It was very likely that step up to the plate on that occasion translated into a very attractive prospect when he became avalable to the Denver Nuggets after being waived.
Next: Simmons Is the Perfect Chapter II to Sampson's Chapter I Too
But Simmons Is the Perfect Chapter II to Sampson’s Chapter I As Well
Now here comes Ben Simmons to the fray, loaded with point guard likes skills but with so many insistant upon his height forcing him to the front court. Sampson is 6’9″, Simmons is 6’10”. Sampson’s wing span is 6’11”. Simmons wing span is 6’11”.
No, I’m not concluding that we have twins by different mothers here, but simply the fact that if an undrafted JaKarr Sampson could hold his own against NBA starting point guards, we deserve to allow ourselves the opportunity to see if Ben Simmons could do the same.
We already have determined Simmons to run the team. Whether that means point guard, shooting point, point forward, or just point period, he will be dribbling the ball, calling the plays, and passing the ball to the open shooter. With Simmons on the court, the team gets offense, defense, and a pretty sophisticated set of passes which will give a great boost to the fast break transition game. Simmons can give all that Sampson gave with many additional bonuses. The only drawback of Simmons at the point is whether he can guard NBA point guards.
Sampson did. Simmons should get that chance.
Looking into the future is filled with attempting to guess about the unknown, to answer the question which have yet to be asked. Yes, Brandon Ingram and Ben Simmons have college experience in specific positions on a basketball team, but then again, so did JaKarr Sampson.
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Perhaps the loss of Sampson to the Nuggets had some meaning after all. If he could prove his versatility in the NBA, other players can as well. Let’s make that selection at number one in this NBA draft with more than just hope. Let’s exhibit some of the courage and spirit that JaKarr Sampson left us.