Philadelphia 76ers: 5 reasons Landry Shamet was a good pick

1. Ability to thrive in difficult circumstances

While some NBA players go on to become multimillionaires by the time their careers are over, the road they travel to get there isn’t always an easy one. The same can be said about Shamet as well.

During his middle school years, not only did his mother Melanie work long hours to provide for her only child, there were times when Shamet would have to be responsible for keeping up his grades, making dinner and going to bed at a reasonable time.

Carrying such a load may have been too much for most 12- and 13-year-olds, but thanks to watching his mom take on different shifts, Shamet developed a solid work ethic that would serve him well right up until the day he was drafted by the Sixers.

More from Hoops Habit

• 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
• Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
• Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
• Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout
• NBA Trades: The Lakers bolster their frontcourt in this deal with the Pacers

Shamet also had a couple of obstacles to overcome during his time at Wichita State as well. In 2015-16, he suffered a stress fracture in his left foot just three games into his collegiate career. The following season, Shamet earned First-Team conference honors while being recognized as the Missouri Valley Conference Rookie of the Year.

Just when it appeared that things were going in the right direction, Shamet suffered another setback in the summer of 2017. This time, it was a stress fracture in his right foot. Once again, though, Shamet bounced back nicely, leading Wichita to a second-place finish in their new conference (American Athletic Conference) as well as the team’s second straight NCAA tournament berth.

While critics have questioned his lack of athleticism and his ability to be an effective defender at the next level, Shamet embraces the challenge of rising to the occasion.

"“Regardless of where I go, whether it’s a sexy pick or not, I know what I’m capable of doing and I know how hard I’ve worked and will work to get there,” Shamet told Kansas.com. “I’m going to have to prove myself again wherever I go, which is something I’m comfortable doing because I’ve been doing it my whole life.”"

Next: Complete 2018 NBA Draft grades for all 30 teams

So for all the intangibles that Shamet brings to the table from a statistical standpoint, I believe his ability to keep pressing forward through adversity is the trait that will enable him to have a successful NBA career as a member of the Sixers.