Doc Rivers' Bold Statement on Jaden Springer's Potential
When people think of the Delaware Blue Coats, their minds might race to Mac McClung, who recently took the world by storm at the NBA's All-Star Weekend, as he won the Slam Dunk Contest in emphatic fashion.
While McClung deserves all of the credit and accolades he's received, people may have forgotten about Jaden Springer, who has been one of the Blue Coats' best players this season.
The 20-year-old is averaging 19 points per game on 50 percent shooting, which is fantastic for a second-year player. Yet, his defensive game can't be slept on.
Springer averages 2.4 steals per game, which is the second highest in the G League, only trailing the Utah Jazz's Kris Dunn at 2.6 steals per game.
These defensive efforts were seen in the mere three minutes that Springer received on Sunday night in the Philadelphia 76ers' win over the Washington Wizards.
In his first appearance since Jan. 17, the 20-year-old recorded two steals, an assist, and a rebound which he fought out for.
This effort caught the eye of the Sixers' head coach Doc Rivers, who praised the Blue Coats guard for his defensive play while also making a bold claim about Springer.
"Jaden was on the floor for three minutes, and it felt like he had five steals. He was unpickable," said Rivers. "Defensively, I'm telling you, he's going to be an elite defensive player in our league."
With five games left in the season, Delaware currently holds the second-best record, 19-8, in the Eastern Conference, only trailing the Long Island Nets.
Declan Harris contributes to All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him on Twitter: @DecIanH.
For live updates on the Philadelphia 76ers, follow @All76ersFN on Twitter!
