76ers select Jaden Springer with No. 28 pick

With the No. 28 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers have selected Tennessee guard Jaden Springer.

Springer was one of two five-star recruits secured by Tennessee in last year's class. The 18-year-old performed well amid a disappointing 2020-21 campaign for the Volunteers, averaging 12.5 points, 2.9 assists, and 1.2 steals en route to earning SEC All-Freshman team honors.

He was arguably the top defender on one of the NCAA's stingiest units, ranking seventh in the SEC in defensive rating (94.2) and 12th in steal percentage (2.7%).

Bio

Position: G
School: Tennessee
College experience: Freshman
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 202 lbs
Wingspan: 6-foot-8
Max vertical: 41.5 inches

Strengths

• Tenacious on-ball defender
• Uses his lateral quickness to contain guards
• His strong frame allows him to finish through contact at the rim
• Has the flexibility to play on and off the ball
• Keeps his hands active to create turnovers and deflections

Weaknesses

• Lacks explosive first step to blow by defenders
• Struggles to create his own shot
• Not a proven outside threat; he shot 43.5% from deep on a limited sample
• Needs to improve his decision-making; he had a 1.22 assist-to-turnover ratio last season