Charlotte Hornets NBA Draft Profile: Jaden Springer

The Charlotte Hornets own their own first-round pick (11) and are owed second-round picks from the Brooklyn Nets (57) and the Los Angeles Clippers (56). Over the next couple of months, leading up to the 2021 NBA Draft, Swarm & Sting will take a look at prospects hoping to hear their name called on draft night.

The next player we will analyze heading into the draft is Tennessee guard Jaden Springer, who had a real intresting season with the Volunteers next to potential lottery pick Keon Johnson. He is a very smart player that tries his best to impact the game on both sides of the floor and – at the age of 18 – is the youngest US-born talent in this year’s draft.

Age: 18

Height: 6’5”

Weight: 185

College Stats/Awards

As a freshman, it is not easy to have a good amount of playing time and touches, but this was not the case for Springer who fought his way into the starting lineup after just ten games into the season.

Springer was named to the All-Freshman team in the SEC – one of the most competitive league in the NCAA – and this is a good indicator of his maturity on a basketball court. He averaged a very solid: 12.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.2 steals with an impressive 43% from three.

Primary Strengths

The best part of Springer’s game is probably related to his ability to put constant pressure on the opposite rim. He is not the quickest player, but he has a solid frame that helps him bully his way towards the basket. As a freshman, Springer attacked the rim without any type of fear against more physical players and this is really intresting for his projection as this play style is much sought-after by NBA teams. Per Bart Torvik, he finished at 66% near the basket, a good percentage that also displays a great and natural touch.

On the defensive side of the ball, Springer’s point of attack defense is something that should be applauded. When paired with Johnson, he was asked to guard the ball when the primary opposite ball handler was organizing the offense while Johnson was free to roam and play as an help defender. His low center of gravity and his ability to slide his feets help him a lot in guarding ball screen as the primary defender. In the eyes of NBA teams, someone who can play this role on the defensive end is highly sought after.

Primary Weaknesses

If we praised Springer’s ability to finish near the basket, we need to consider that he could not do that consistently because his handle can be very loose in certain situations. Because of that he was not ready to constantly pressure the rim as he would have liked to. This should be the first part of his game that needs to be shaped in order to be impactful in the NBA game where he will face better defenders ready to clog the rim to counter him.

Another part of Springer’s game that his newest team will have to improve is his shooting. Do not bite at the 43% he shot from three last season, he shot just 46 attempts and he is not the most confident of shooters. Springer’s mechanics need some fine-tuning as he rotates his lower body pretty much on every attempt. Confidence needs to be built too, he was passing out of a good amount of open threes, something that you don’t want for a combo guard with his skillset. If he wants to put constant pressure on the rim he will need to expand his shooting range in order to take defenders out from the paint.

Draft Projection

Springer will likely be available at the 11th pick in this draft. Jonathan Givony of ESPN had him being selected at 29 in his latest mock draft.

A lot of players get snubbed during draft evaluation and often their consensus range differs a lot from the real talent. Springer is a young and talented kid who would fit very well with the Hornets. Next to LaMelo Ball, he could give the defensive security that our young star needs and could potentially replace him as a ball handler during possessions where Ball needs rest.

The 2021 NBA Draft will be held on Thursday, July 29 from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The draft will be televised on ABC (first-round only) and ESPN.