BRIGHTON, Mass. — When Jaden Springer was a little kid, he was really bad at basketball.
“I was terrible,” Springer told me after a rigorous day of Celtics training camp, laughing. “Like really, I was terrible.”
It’s the first time I’ve heard an NBA player describe themselves as such. Just last week, Lonnie Walker IV told Celtics reporters that he’s been a bucket-getter since the womb, explicitly stating:
“My pacifier was a basketball.”
For Springer, the talent wasn’t quite as natural, rather borne out of an extreme love for the game that was there from the jump. He was younger than the other kids in the neighborhood, and oftentimes outmatched — but he just kept battling, obsessively playing the game, until eventually, he improved.
“I kept playing. I kept playing, in my neighborhood, outside, every single day,” he said.
He certainly wasn’t terrible for long, emerging as a star in high school in Mint Hill, North Carolina and after two years, transferring to the IMG Academy in Florida, where he established himself as one of the top prospects in his high school class. Then, he excelled in his freshman season at the University of Tennessee, averaging 12.5 points and shooting 43.5% from three, and at just 19 years old, he was drafted with the No. 28 pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2021.
As it currently stands, Jaden Springer, who just turned 22 this week, isn’t expected to be a rotation player for the Celtics. That assessment is no knock on him nor his capabilities, but he’s fighting for minutes behind a stash of elite guards, including Jrue Holiday and Derrick White — both Olympians — as well as Payton Pritchard, who solidified himself as one of the most reliable backup point guards in the NBA last season.
The Celtics traded for Springer back in February, and at the time, Brad Stevens noted he was young — “still a puppy” was the exact phrase — and that he was a prospect that the team had been closely monitoring since the 2021 draft.
Since he was acquired by the Celtics, Springer’s on-court role has been limited. He appeared in just 17 games post-trade, averaging 2.1 points on 7.6 minutes per night. There were a couple of standout moments: Joe Mazzulla gave him the opportunity to play in the clutch in a March loss against Atlanta, and afterwards, he praised his physicality and ball pressure. That same week, he laced up and dominated one G-League game, and in July, he exploded for 23 points in his only Summer League outing.
Baylor Scheierman, who is actually two years older than Springer but was drafted three years after him, was thoroughly impressed by the ball-hawker after sharing the court with him in Vegas.
“He’s just an overall great player, a two-way player who does it on both ends of the floor,” Scheierman said.
The question is: where does Springer go from here? With nearly everyone on last year’s championship roster re-signing, the offseason didn’t create any obvious openings, and he’s still one of the newest guys on the team, he reminded me when we spoke.
“We kind of got the same team from last year, you know?” Springer said. He wasn’t any more veteran than he was on the 2023-24 squad.
But, just because Springer hasn’t been seeing on-court minutes, doesn’t mean that he’s not growing. This is the same kid who couldn’t make a basket in the neighborhood park, outmatched by seemingly everyone.
Since he arrived to Boston, he’s made it a point to learn from the Celtics’ trio of guards — he’ll watch film with Jrue Holiday and the coaches on off days, study how to play alongside stars with Payton Pritchard, and emulate Derrick White’s defensive techniques.
On the offensive end, Springer knows what spots he wants to get to — and has learned from Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum how to get there. He’s worked closely with Tyler Lashbrook, who previously coached him in Philadelphia (but will soon be the head coach of the Maine Celtics), as well as God Shammgod Jr., one of the new additions to the coaching staff.
“I’ve grown a lot, in almost every aspect, since I first got drafted,” Springer said. “My mindset, my mentality, my understanding of the game, my shot, everything – knowing the offense, how to play around other stars like JT and JB, even just being a good teammate.”
A big part of that growth has been learning how to be a role player.
“Everybody was the man in college and in high school, so coming here is definitely an adjustment,” Springer said. “But, if you can find your role and be a star in your role, everything will work out. That’s what I learned, especially with the Celtics, they do a good job of making sure everybody knows what they’re supposed to be at their role and being the best at whatever their gift is.”
What’s Jaden Springer’s gift?
If you’ve seen Springer play even for a couple of minutes, it’s quite apparent. Few can defend the way the 6 ‘4 guard can, and everywhere he has played, it’s a skill that people have been in awe of since he was young.
Springer only played one game at Summer League in July, but in that limited sample size, he showcased his defensive versatility, effectively matching up with Jaime Jacquez Jr. for much of the night.
“His ball pressure is unique. It’s something that most people don’t have,” summer league head coach D.J. MacLeay said. “His ability to really pick up, and bother people, and not allow people to score, it’s really special.”
There’s a belief that Springer can’t shoot – but in college, he shot 43.5% from three.
Entering his fourth year in the NBA, Springer is not setting any limitations on his ceiling as a professional. He doesn’t feel pressure to get real rotation minutes this season.
“Everybody’s got goals and aspirations, but all I can do is go out there and play as hard as I can, be a good teammate, and just be the best at whatever role they give me,” Springer said. “Some stuff you can’t control, you just go out there and have fun, and I really feel like everything will work out.”
Right now, he is patient, grateful to be a part of a championship organization where he feels wanted and supported by the coaching staff.
But, the end goal isn’t just to be a rotation player, or a defensive glue guy, or a backup guard, or a guy who jumps from team to team.
Jaden Springer has his sights set as high as any NBA player I’ve spoken with.
“I want to accomplish everything,” he said. “You never want to sell yourself short. I’m just trying to work on helping this team the most I can. All the accolades and stuff come later but, of course, everybody’s dream is to be the best player ever.”
