The Sixer Sense
Fansided

Ranking the Sixers: No. 3, Robert Covington

By Jason Dandy

CAMDEN, NJ - SEPTEMBER 25: Robert Covington #33 of the Philadelphia 76ers poses for a portrait during the Philadelphia 76ers Media Day on September 25, 2017 at the Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex in Camden, New Jersey. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
CAMDEN, NJ - SEPTEMBER 25: Robert Covington #33 of the Philadelphia 76ers poses for a portrait during the Philadelphia 76ers Media Day on September 25, 2017 at the Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex in Camden, New Jersey. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

As one of the most improved players over the last few years, Robert Covington has proven his worth throughout the Process era and comes in at number three in our rankings of each Philadelphia 76ers player.

As a brief reminder of how this works, we here at TSS averaged rankings from 14 different staff members in order to get a composite list of the Philadelphia 76ers‘ best players, from No. 1 through No. 16.

Next is Robert Covington, who comes in at No. 3.

From the D-League (now G-League) to getting votes for Defensive Player of the Year, Robert Covington has come a long way over the course of his four year career. Coming out of college he was seen as a 3-point specialist who needs to work on his defense to find a role in the NBA. Now, that scouting report has been switched around completely.

Covington proved to be one of the very best defensive players in the entire NBA last year. He was one of only four players in the league to average 1.5-plus steals and one-plus blocks per game last year, and he led the entire league in defensive deflections per game. He uses his 7-foot-long wingspan to its full potential, and seems to successfully pester whoever he is covering.

Players guarded by Covington shot 3.4 percent worse from the field, showing another aspect of how he affects his opponent’s play.

His three point shooting, however, has been trending in the wrong direction every year. He shot a strong 37.4 percent from three in his first season as a 76er, but his percentage dipped down to 33.3 percent last year.

Must Read: 4 Sixers entering a pivotal 2017-18 season

Part of the reason his efficiency has been so low is that he’s not the kind of player that is capable of creating his own shots very often, yet he was also needed to be one of the team’s go-to scorers due to the lack of talent on recent 76ers teams. With the addition of Ben Simmons, Markelle Fultz, Joel Embiid for more than 31 games (hopefully), and J.J. Redick, Covington will no longer have to be a go-to scorer, which should lead to a rise in his efficiency.

Although last year his shot may not have been falling at the rate he would have hoped for, it did fall in numerous clutch moments throughout the season. Being a reliable option from deep to end games will be key for this young Philadelphia team, and that is something that Covington will provide.

Being ranked number three on this list may seem a bit too high to some, but he has earned this respect and recognition. There is a case to be made that Markelle Fultz is the best player on the team, but he is still only 19 years old and has yet to face the rigors of NBA basketball.

Next: Number 4: Markelle Fultz

At this point in time, Robert Covington is the third best player on the Philadelphia 76ers, and will hopefully be recognized as one of the best three-and-D players in the entire league by the season’s end.