Sixers Rookie Jaden Springer Grades Summer League Debut vs. Mavericks
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Former Tennessee guard Jaden Springer got his first taste of NBA action on Monday afternoon. After landing with the Sixers as the No. 28 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Springer made his NBA Summer League debut against the Dallas Mavericks.
The 18-year-old one and done prospect out of Tennessee cracked Philly's starting lineup on Monday. After a strong week of practice on both ends, the Sixers looked forward to seeing how Springer paired up alongside his fellow guard, Tyrese Maxey.
At first, Springer's inexperience showed. In his first six minutes of action, the rookie guard shot 0-4 from the field. It wasn't until the second quarter when Springer made his first basket. After appearing in 16 minutes in the first half, Springer wrapped up with just four points, draining 14-percent of his shots from the field.
“I’d probably say [I had] a little jitters,” the rookie admitted after the game on Monday night. “I was out there. . . I was thinking a lot out there. But as the game went on, I got used to it. I got the first one out the way so I’m feeling good.”
Although he started off shaky, Springer started to get comfortable in the second half. Checking in for five minutes in the third quarter, the rookie guard drained three of his four field-goal attempts for seven points. In addition to his improved offense, Springer's defensive skill set was on full display as well as he recorded two blocks and collected a rebound throughout the game.
In total, Springer finished his first NBA Summer League matchup as a plus-18. Hitting on 33-percent of his shots from the field, and knocking down one of his three long-range jumpers, the rookie totaled for 11 points in his debut. After getting his feet wet with a little bit of NBA action, the rookie graded his own performance.
“I feel good,” Springer explained. “Started off a little rusty, a little jitters at first, but as the game went on, I got to it. I’d probably give myself a C.”
While Springer's first outing in Vegas was surely overshadowed by guys like Maxey, Isaiah Joe, and Paul Reed, the rookie feels comfortable heading into Thursday's matchup. As he gets used to the pace at the next level, Springer mentioned he feels more prepared after gaining 24 minutes of experience on Monday.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.