Doc Rivers, Sixers comment on Jaden Springer’s continued development
PHILADELPHIA–The Philadelphia 76ers have a veteran team that has championship aspirations, and therefore, it is tough to really give any playing time to a young player such as Jaden Springer.
With that being said, that doesn’t mean they are going to just forget about him. That is where the G League comes in so he can go and get the necessary court time he needs in order to grow and develop into the player the Sixers believe he can be.
Springer and the Delaware Blue Coats won the 2023 G League title on Thursday night with a win over the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Springer took home G League finals MVP honors and Sixers coach Doc Rivers has kept in touch with Blue Coats coach Coby Karl about his growth as a player.
“We talk about Jaden all the time,” said Rivers. “He’s doing great and, as I said, he’s gonna find his way. He’s playing unbelievable. The offense is great, the defense though is what we really watch right now for him. He’s gonna be an elite defensive player in this league. I don’t give a lot of guarantees, but if he’s not, I would be shocked. I’m that high on him, defensively.”
Rivers acknowledges that Springer is still a very young player and the Sixers are still looking for a position for him. When he has been able to get on the floor, he has shown off a lot of potential as an elite defensive player and that is why Philadelphia selected him 28th overall in 2021.
“We still gotta find a position for him, but he just makes plays,” Rivers added. “He’s one of those kids that’s really young, still, and I think he’s gonna be a really good player.”
One player who was in a similar position as Springer is Paul Reed. In the 2021-22 season, Reed was up and down between the G League and the NBA, as Springer has during this current season, and Reed is happy for his younger teammate.
“That’s like my little bro for real,” Reed said of Springer. “We went through similar things. Last year I was in the G League up and down. So it’s good to see him thriving right now. I can’t wait for him to get back with the big team.”
With the G League season now over and with two games to go in this regular season for the Sixers, they have called Springer up and one has to figure he will receive a ton of playing time over the final weekend of the season.
