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Mar 21, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Ricky Council IV (14) looks on during the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

Have the 76ers Figured Out The Key to Player Development?

Originally posted on Philadelphia 76ers on SI
By Declan Harris | Last updated May 9, 2025 4:21 PM ET

With the NBA Lottery Draft rapidly approaching, many have started to ponder what pick the Philadelphia 76ers will land, and subsequently, what they will do with their selection. Given that the Sixers have found themselves in the midst of a minor rebuild, bringing in young talent to develop could pay dividends in the long term, given that they’ll develop under Philadelphia’s system of play.

This past draft class proved that the Sixers' scouting department is capable of picking out notable talents, as they selected Jared McCain and Adem Bona with their respective picks. McCain would waste no time adapting to the NBA's level of play, dropping 34 points on 46.2 percent shooting from the field in his first start. This level of production would carry through for the rest of the rookie's season, as he'd drop an average of 15.3 points per game until he would ultimately suffer from a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee, which kept him sidelined for the remainder of the year.

Bona, on the other hand, would take some serious time to find this stride at the next level. When it became clear that Joel Embiid would spend the remainder of the season on the bench due to an injury, Nurse decided to give his rookie center an even bigger role on the team, a stretch of games in his last 15 appearances of the season, when he'd average 13.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. The slow start isn't something that is limited to Bona, as similar picks in the Sixers' draft history have taken some time to get rolling, with Paul Reed being a recent example.

Although McCain and Bona weren't the only rookies to make an impact on the Sixers, as Philadelphia native Justin Edwards became a consistent figure for the Sixers throughout the season. Edwards spent the first chunk of the season with the Delaware Blue Coats in the G League before receiving a call-up in early January that would eventually lead to a new contract.

Edwards is the most recent player in a recent surge of production from the Sixers’ G League affiliate, with Ricky Council IV being another product from the Chase Field House. Similar to Edwards, Council went unselected in his draft class before splitting time between Wilmington and Philadelphia, averaging 5.4 points per game on 48.2 percent shooting. As a part of these efforts under Nurse in the 2023-24 season, the former Arkansas star was awarded a four-year deal.

Council wasn’t the only other Blue Coat to receive time with Philadelphia, as Marcus Bagley and Isaiah Mobley also received call-ups towards the tail end of the season. Delaware head coach Mike Longobardi, who has overseen Edwards, Council, Bagley, and Mobley’s development, explained that the Blue Coats’ status as a team that helps their players grow played a large role in his decision to take the job.

”When I got offered the job, I knew that was something that they had an excellent reputation on,” said Longobardi. “Working with Jameer [Nelson], our number one goal is to reach our potential, get our guys better opportunities. I mean we want to win, but it’s hand in hand, win and develop.”

While Delaware struggled this season to keep in on the winning part of that equation, falling towards the bottom half of the league with a record of 14-20, it's apparent that they're more than meeting the development aspect of it. The 52-year-old feels that the Blue Coats have held true to these values under his leadership, but sees it as a joint effort from everyone in the organization.

”We’ve had a good track record of that, it’s a testament to our entire staff, training staff, weight room, everyone contributes, and it’s a good sight to see,” explained the Blue Coats head coach.

It's apparent that the 76ers, as an organization, are not afraid to reach down into their G League affiliate's roster in order to enrich their NBA roster with a breath of fresh air.