Sixers’ Birthday Wish for Jaden Springer Issues Important Reminder

Sixers guard Jaden Springer turned 21 on Monday.

On Monday, the Philadelphia 76ers took to Twitter to wish Jaden Springer a Happy Birthday.

Not only did the post issue a reminder that Springer’s birthday takes place on September 25, but it also issued an important reminder about the former first-round pick.

Jaden Springer is still very young and has a lot of room to grow.

happy 21st birthday to J. Spring! 🎉 pic.twitter.com/La33ExXP7k

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) September 25, 2023

With the NBA being a “what have you done for me lately” world, fans tend to grow impatient with players, especially when they are still developing. For Jaden Springer, he hasn’t had the opportunity to showcase his skills on the NBA stage much, despite being a former first-round pick.

When the Sixers selected Springer with the 28th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, he was one of the youngest prospects in the pool. As a former five-star recruit coming out of IMG Academy, Springer was regarded as one of the best recruits in his class heading into Tennessee.

During the 2020-2021 NCAA season, Springer started in 15 of the 25 games he appeared in as a freshman. In 26 minutes of action, Springer averaged 13 points, four rebounds, three assists, and one steal while draining 47 percent of his field goals and 44 percent of his threes.

The Sixers knew a young Springer would be a project pick at 28. Therefore, they didn’t rush him onto the floor during his rookie and sophomore efforts. 

Over the last two seasons, Springer’s made 18 appearances on the court with the Sixers, averaging fewer than six minutes on the court. In order to allow Springer to develop his game further, the young guard spent most of his time with the team’s G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats.

“I feel like this year has been great after getting that first year of experience,” Springer told All76ers in early November 2022. “Being around the team, the Sixers, and all of the coaching staff, everybody. Great development, great people, and great veterans from this team to learn from.”

During his second run in Delaware, Springer appeared in 24 regular season games, averaging 30 minutes of playing time. He accounted for 19 points per game, along with five rebounds, three assists, and two steals per game. During the Blue Coats’ four-game championship run, Springer averaged 27 points, ten rebounds, and three assists while knocking down 47 percent of his threes on the way to winning the G League title.

Although Springer’s playing time on the main roster has been limited over the past two years, which has led to skepticism from spectators, many are hopeful that the Sixers’ new head coach Nick Nurse gives the young Springer an opportunity to earn his stripes in the big leagues. 

While Springer’s path to having an impact on the Sixers has been a slow process, it’s good for fans to remember he’s just turning 21 years old, with two years of development on his resume. 

Soon enough, Springer will get an opportunity to showcase his development to the new coaching staff in hopes of earning a spot in the rotation for the first time.