Robert Covington: More than a Shooter for the Philadelphia 76ers

Philadelphia 76ers Robert Covington has endured boos and heckling from Philadelphia 76ers fans. In reality, fans should be more grateful for the player Covington has become and continues to develop into on the defensive side of the ball.

Philadelphia 76ers small forward Robert Covington entered the 2013 NBA draft out of Tennessee State University. He ended up going undrafted, and was signed by the Houston Rockets that same year. Covington spent time with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers- the Rockets NBA D-League affiliate- and ended up winning the D-League Rookie of the Year with the team.

However, Covington was always on the mind of then team president, Sam Hinkie.

On November 15th, 2014, Covington (a.k.a. RoCo) was signed by the Philadelphia 76ers. Quickly, he grew into a solid player on the team, and has been a regular starter since February 2015.

Robert Covington has the ability to shoot the ball and score on those shots. Sometimes it just doesn’t show up in the box scores. A main reason for his three point percentage only being 35.4 percent is the type of shots he takes.

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Let me explain. Opponents know the scoring ability of the Philadelphia 76ers will not win the game. And so, the defenses collapse on the front court players far too frequently.

When Ben Simmons debuts next season, and the 76ers have legitimate play-making guards, Covington will have the ability to take better and open catch-and-shoot shots.

Considering what Covington was supposed to be versus what he has become is very noteworthy. Yes, the shot selection and decision making is sporadic at times, but RoCo’s effort and impact on the defensive side of the ball is undeniable.

Covington’s Defense

This season, RoCo has started and played in 56/62 games. At 26 years old, he averages 1.9 steals per game. He also leads the league in deflections at 4.2 per game, over great defenders such as Draymond Green, Chris Paul, John Wall, and Kyle Lowry. Led by Covington, the 76ers rank 3rd in the NBA in deflections this season at 17.5 per game.

Covington also posts a very solid defensive rating of 104.2 on the year. His impact on the defensive side of the ball makes him a viable piece in the 76ers future plans.

If Robert Covington is able to keep producing these kind of defensive numbers, he will find minutes for years to come on this 76ers team. Covington has made a tremendous effort to better himself on the defensive side of the ball, and the results have shown.

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Defense wins championships. It’s one of the oldest sayings in the book, but always reigns true. The 76ers would be wise to live by this saying and re-sign RoCo when he becomes an unrestricted free agent next season.