Philadelphia 76ers: Was Landry Shamet best value pick in the draft?

The Philadelphia 76ers selected Landry Shamet in the 2018 NBA Draft, and it’s looking like one of their biggest steals in recent memory.

Over the past decade, the Philadelphia 76ers have been one of the most active organizations in acquiring players through the NBA Draft, and Landry Shamet is looking like the best of them all as a value pick.

Now before proceeding, it’s essential that there is a special emphasis placed on the word “value.”

For example, if an organization receives a player who is head-and-shoulders better than the remaining in the draft pool, then sure, that’s the highest value (say, LeBron James in 2003). However, with the immense talent usually available each year, it’s a rare occurrence when a top selection is a no-brainer.

The Donovan Mitchells and Caris LeVerts of the world who weren’t as highly regarded coming out of college have become untouchable trade targets in just one or two seasons for their respective organizations.

The Sixers, who have had their fair share of lottery picks in recent history, haven’t had much luck in the deeper segments of the draft. Landry Shamet on the other hand, has been the epitome of a late-round gem.

With the exception of landing a one-of-a-kind talent like Joel Embiid, as he fell to the No. 3 selection in the 2014 NBA Draft due to injury, Shamet has arguably been the 76ers’ greatest value pick in recent history.

He already has shades of a pro, and was pretty much selected unnoticed as the 26th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Most of the analysts that night believed he shouldn’t have even been selected that soon.

He has more than proved them wrong.

After suffering an injury in his debut NBA Summer League game back in early July, he showed up to training camp and was taken under the wing of J.J. Redick. Since that time, he hasn’t looked back.

The Wichita State product turned in another quality performance in his rookie campaign Tuesday night in the Sixers’ 132-115 victory over the Washington Wizards, finishing with a career-high 29 points on 8-of-15 shooting and eight made 3-pointers.

The young sharpshooter has looked increasingly engaged in head coach Brett Brown’s high-powered offense, and the union is working like a charm.

Brown continues to be impressed with Shamet’s craft, based on his post-game interview with  Taylor Eldridge of the Wichita Eagle:

"“One of the things that Jim O’Brien spotted, I think in the first minute that we brought him into a gym and worked him out, was his ability to get a shot off quick,” Brown said. “There is no dip. He’s not trying to get hand position on the ball. He can receive a ball and shoot a ball at the level that he catches it. He doesn’t have to bring it down, or bring it over, or whatever. It really was one of the attractions when we watched him work out and it was coach O’Brien who was on it first.”"

With J.J. Redick not guaranteed to be back next season, Shamet could eventually be groomed for a starting shooting guard role by next season.