When the Philadelphia 76ers signed former Washington guard Andrew Andrews, it appeared to be a simple sign and assign to the Delaware 87ers. But sharing the alma mater of top pick Markelle Fultz adds some intrigue into this signing
The city of Philadelphia certainly must be focused on the city of Seattle collegiate sports. Especially the University of Washington. The Philadelphia Eagles tapped those Washington Huskies twice in the 2017 NFL Draft in selecting cornerback Sidney Jones IV and defensive tackle Elijah Qualls. The Philadelphia 76ers tapped Washington for the top pick of the 2017 NBA Draft in guard Markelle Fultz. Now, the team signed another Washington Husky. This time it’s former Washington Basketball guard Andrew Andrews. The team is assigning him to affiliate Delaware 87ers.
And this is a signing we should talk about.
Washington Huskies are talking about Andrews signing
Actually, the Washington Huskies are already talking about it. If you wonder how the NBA and G-League affiliates, the article over at the Husky Haul does a good job discussing that relationship.
But in that article, some curious points surface.
"“Statistically, he was very productive. In fact, he led the team in scoring with a 20.9 point average. And his three-point shot settled in at 40.1 percent. That’s very accurate. But the shocker is the fact that, in the NBA race to find the “next great player”, few gave Andrews so much as a chance.”"
A four year player who scored 20.9 points per game and boasted a 40.1 three-point accuracy didn’t get an NBA nibble in 2016? Wow. When I see number like this fall into an “undrafted” category, I have to wonder why the NBA doesn’t consider adding a third round to the NBA Draft.
Big journey, small step
Now, an assignment to the Delaware 87ers no longer has the “might be called up” quality it had just two years ago for the Philadelphia 76ers. But from the same team which propelled Marquese Chriss and Dejounte Murray into the NBA, Andrew Andrews was the best of the bunch.
I cannot say why he was passed by in the 2016 NBA Draft. And at this moment, I’m not sure I want to know.
Follow that Andrews
On paper, this appears to be a much bigger deal than simply adding a name to the 87ers roster. It places a four year guard within driving distance of the Philadelphia 76ers top pick. The signing adds a standout Pac-12 guard to the incubator. And finally, it reemphasizes that incredible symbiosis enjoyed by the Philadelphia 76ers with the Delaware 87ers.
There is always a subplot in the NBA. And the Philadelphia 76ers frequently boast several at a time. There are a couple subplots in this signing. Does this add another player to the mix to help ease the transition of guard Markelle Fultz? Or is this some stroke of genius move on its own merits, simply a random event of an NBA team discovering a 20 point per game scorer in the rubble of the 2016 NBA Draft discard pile?
Next: Will Philadelphia 76ers be 2018 NBA Draft power brokers?
T.J. McConnell is a Pac-12 guard who was undrafted. He played against Andrews. Did he have a role in the signing? In any case, you can bet I will keep an eye on him. Or better yet, I will keep an eye on the Husky Haul who I hope will keep an eye on him.