Back in the spring, the 76ers brought in Landry Shamet as part of their final pre-draft work group. Upon taking the floor at the team's training complex in Camden, the Wichita State product left an immediate, lasting impression, one that would heavily influence the Sixers to choose him with the no. 26 overall pick.
Brett Brown retold the story following Tuesday’s game, in which the 21-year old Shamet exploded for a franchise record-setting eight 3-point field goals:
Brown said that against Washington, Shamet’s skill was “at its best.”
“He could catch and get shots off quick,” Brown said of Shamet. “The wiggle room in our league is so small, the ability to do that ends up really being an incredible advantage as you move forward in your career - can you get shots off against elite NBA athletes? Tonight, he did.”
For his own part, Shamet said following Tuesdays' victory - the Sixers' fourth in a row - that he wasn't trying to force anything. He simply found the wave - or, maybe the wave found him - and rode it out, aiming to continue to fulfill expectations that his coaches and teammates have set for him.
"I love having that sense of responsibility to try to be better, be my best every night," Shamet said. "I landed in a great situation, I couldn’t have been in a better spot. So, I guess that’s all good."