CON to Sixers drafting Jaden Springer: The jumper needs some work
Off the catch, particularly from 3, Springer’s game is good enough now and can continue to develop further. Off the dribble, he needs a bit of a deeper overhaul though. Springer shot 28.2 percent when creating his own shot.
As you’ve probably heard by now, the mechanics are well…questionable. Adding to this drama is apparently the fact that Springer has worked with Markelle Fultz’s former trainer. As much as this lit up Twitter, I think Springer still has a great chance to develop a better shot. His 3-point shot, as infrequently as he may shoot it, looks a lot cleaner than what Fultz’s looked like at the time.
Another factor is his aggressiveness and shot selection at the rim:
Finishing at the Rim - Combo Guards! @jadenspringer11 and Oklahoma’s Austin Reaves are two of the best in this year’s NBA draft class. Just another reason we’ve been all over Springer’s potential as a prospect. Not to mention @Jroc__3 as a major sleeper 👀👀 pic.twitter.com/dbwYhIY24g
— ShotQuality (@Shot_Quality) July 24, 2021
Springer finished second amongst the 2021 draft class’ combo guards when it came to shot quality and ability to finish at the rim. While he may not have a great jumper yet, his shot selection and defensive play will buy him quite a bit of time to develop that skill.
The ability to decide to change directions so quickly and then being able to maintain control of ball between two defenders to get into the paint for the dump off is really impressive. Impressive sequence & nice handles here from Jaden Springer pic.twitter.com/H6bQ6VaIYA
— Zach Milner (@ZachMilner13) December 15, 2020
Zhaire Smith is another former Sixer draft pick that people look at when they think of “defense first combo guard”, but that comparison doesn’t really sit right with me either. Springer’s handles and fluidity of movement are just a whole lot different.