Jaden Springer: 2021 Scouting Report

Springer was one of the last selections in the first round, drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers. Under Doc Rivers, a coach who has historically overlooked rookies, the Tennessee guard will have to work twice as hard to earn rotation minutes in the second unit. 

Bio and Measurables:

Strengths: Jaden Springer was pushed to the bottom of the first round because of the depth and quality this draft had to offer. In a different draft, you could argue that Springer would have been a lottery pick due to his high upside, physical attributes and defensive prowess. As an eighteen year old guard Springer can only continue to get better and will benefit from developing in an NBA system even if he does not consistently see the floor. In addition to the added benefit of an NBA level development department, being able to learn from NBA veterans, train, practice and recover in an organization will help Springer elevate his game throughout his rookie campaign.  Along with his age, his physical traits should help him work toward consistent minutes in the rotation. Possessing attributes that you “can’t teach” could make or break a player at the next level. College athletes that are too small or struggle to add to their frame after being drafted leave them unable to control the development minutes they receive while players, like Springer, are already built to handle minutes in the league. These physical advantages will help him on both ends of the floor in the NBA. On the offensive end of the floor Springer will continue to improve as a shooter but used his size and athleticism to create scoring opportunities during his freshman year. Comfortable playing on or off ball, the eighteen year old guard has the potential to become a three level scorer if he continues to improve his three point shooting consistency. Even though he shot 43.5%, he did not shoot threes at volume during the season and instead did most of his scoring from the interior. Leaning on his size in the half-court, Springer had no problem backing down weaker defenders or smaller big men often creating contact and putting points on the board for his team, he had 14 games during the season where he shot four or more free throws. This lack of fear combined with a high motor should compliment the 76ers second unit in a pairing with former Kentucky guard Tyrese Maxey. Furthermore, when he was able to get into the open floor and into transition offense, Springer had good elevation around the basket which helped him finish 65.8% of his shots around the rim (not including dunks). Springer needs to continue to develop as a playmaker but showed flashes during his only year at Tennessee. Even though he only posted an average 2.9 assists per game his court vision and ability to make difficult passes should provide hope for his future as a primary ball handler. With all of his physical attributes and offensive upside, Springer truly shines on the defensive side of the ball. Similar to the offensive end, Springer understands his size and strength gives him an advantage against his offensive assignment. He stays in front of his defender with excellent lateral quickness and constantly applies pressure through his active hands and physical defending. As a physical defender he understands when to gamble on steals and how to get into the passing lane when the ball is moving around the half court. At the next level, offensive players will continue to get faster and more agile, if Springer can continue to defend without fouling, leaning on his lateral quickness, he has the potential to be Philadelphia’s next defensive disruptor. 

Areas of Improvement: Springer’s stock was partially driven by the potential he has on both ends of the floor. While potential is always considered when drafting a prospect, even when it is the first overall pick, some players get their potential weighed more heavily because of their circumstances. A solid frame that can be filled out may elevate a player over someone who has an inability to shoot even though both could be improved upon. For Springer, he has what the 76ers were looking for in a draft prospect, a ready made NBA frame and defensive prowess that can only be improved upon. Even though it seems he doesn’t fit their timeline, adding young talent has always been the goal for any organization regardless of their current championship window. So what does Springer need to improve upon as he elevates to the next level? As a defender his current form and potential should elevate his defensive ability as he grows into a veteran player but his offensive game will determine his ceiling in the league. We touched on it in the strengths portion of his report but Springer did not shoot volume from outside and that has inflated his shooting splits a bit. A bit of a streaky shooter consistency, selection and volume will determine his ability to earn development minutes under Doc Rivers. These are all “fixable” once he gets into an NBA system and could even be corrected by the time the regular season tips off. In addition to his shot selection, he primarily played off-ball at Tennessee because in my opinion he doesn’t have NCAA/NBA level ball handling skills yet. Prone to turnovers and the inability to create his own shot off the dribble will impeded Springer’s ability to run an offense until he improves in these areas. With that said, expect Tyrese Maxey or George Hill to predominantly run the offense next season while Springer works as a slasher with catch and shoot ability. If Springer is able to improve in these areas he should be able to elevate his ceiling and become a solid two way contributor in Philadelphia. 

External Factors: Jaden’s father was a McDonald’s All-American and was drafted in the sixth round of the 1984 NBA draft. He is also cousins with Toronto Raptors guard DeAndre’ Bembry.  Having NBA experience within the family should help Springer in preparation for playing at the next level. 

Medical History: During his only season at Tennessee, Springer missed time due to a lingering ankle injury. He initially sprained the ankle during a regular season loss to Alabama and reaggravated it two weeks later against Vanderbilt. Springer returned on 1/26 and played the rest of the season with no other public injuries. 

Summary: Putting championship aspirations aside, the 76ers made the right choice in selecting Springer. Having an opportunity to firm up an extremely scrutinized second unit will help Philadelphia improve around the margins and trend toward a championship. While Springer won’t be an immediate impact performer, I expect him to have a similar rookie year to Tyrese Maxey, slowly earning Doc Rivers trust and eventually cracking the rotation after the All-Star break. While the team is filled with guards, the impending departure of Ben Simmons could mean that Springer has an opportunity to earn additional minutes. Philadelphia didn’t take a flashy player like Bones Hyland or Sharife Cooper but instead stayed the course. Springer has the ability to become a complete two-way player and fans should be extremely excited about his future and the future of the team. 

Springer was selected 28th in the draft by Philadelphia. MIP Projected Springer as a late first round pick.