NBA G League Ignite's Daishen Nix to Play With Sixers' Summer League Squad
Surprisingly, the Philadelphia 76ers kept busy during the 2021 NBA Draft but not by wheeling, dealing, and striking trades. Instead, the Sixers got one trade done ahead of the big event by buying an additional second-rounder off the New Orleans Pelicans.
It seemed the Sixers were adding another asset in a potential move-up or trade-out situation to land a veteran player, but Philly's President of Basketball Operations, Daryl Morey, shocked many by keeping all three selections and making the picks.
Tennessee's Jaden Springer, Western Kentucky's Charles Bassey, and Serbian professional Filip Petrusev are all members of the Sixers' organization via the draft. But the additions didn't stop after the three selections were made.
Minutes after the draft concluded, the Sixers signed Michigan State forward Aaron Henry to a two-way deal. Then, the following day, it was revealed that the Sixers had added point guard Daishen Nix to the team's Summer League roster as well.
Nix, a six-foot-five 19-year-old Alaska native, is no stranger to playing pro ball. As a five-star recruit and top-20 nationally ranked player coming out of high school, Nix decided to avoid going the typical college route playing in the NCAA and instead joined the NBA's brand new G League Ignite team this past season.
During the team's first season in 2020-2021, Nix appeared in all 15 regular-season games. Coming off the bench for a majority of the year, Nix averaged just over 25 minutes per game. He would put up 8.8 points per game, 5.3 assists per game, and collect 5.3 rebounds per game during that time.
While his shooting percentages could certainly use some work, Nix still had himself a solid debut season in the pro league. Unfortunately, his time with Ignite didn't earn himself a landing spot via the draft, nor did it get him a two-way deal. Now, he'll attempt to earn a spot on a team through the NBA Summer League as a member of the Sixers.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.